Hulu’s acclaimed new limited series “We Were the Lucky Ones” is led by Logan Lerman. who give the best performance of his career. Adapted from Georgia Hunter‘s 2017 book of the same, the story follows the Kurcs, a Polish Jewish family torn apart by WWII. It’s a difficult watch but creator Erica Lipez has crafted a gripping, vital narrative with Lerman at the center of the show. He plays Addy Kurc, the middle child who pursues a career as a composer in post-war Paris. Critics agree, Lerman is a revelation in this role.
Proma Khosla (Indie Wire) stated: “As Addy, Lerman is siloed from the other siblings for almost the entire series, but never waivers in his portrayal of someone sustained by hope and eventually in the haze of grief.”
Maggie Levitt (Collider) observed: “Lerman is another clear standout in the series, though his performance is more subtle...
Proma Khosla (Indie Wire) stated: “As Addy, Lerman is siloed from the other siblings for almost the entire series, but never waivers in his portrayal of someone sustained by hope and eventually in the haze of grief.”
Maggie Levitt (Collider) observed: “Lerman is another clear standout in the series, though his performance is more subtle...
- 4/26/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Hulu’s “We Were the Lucky Ones” is primed for a big night at this year’s Emmys. Adapted from the Georgia Hunter‘s 2017 book of the same name, the limited series follows the Kurcs, a Polish Jewish family who were split apart during World War II: some members go into hiding and others are forced into concentration camps. The series, brutal and dark, follows the family’s attempts to reunite after the war ends. It’s a tough watch but a vital one and the series, created by Erica Lipez, is intelligent in its portrayal of such hard subject matter, as noted by critics.
Aramide Tinubu (Variety) stated: “Devastating, and profoundly moving, ‘We Were the Lucky Ones’ illustrates the scope of World War II, the inhumanity of others and the anguish of disconnection and loss.”
Matthew Gilbert (Boston Globe) observed: “Yes, the miniseries is challenging, and steeped in heartbreak,...
Aramide Tinubu (Variety) stated: “Devastating, and profoundly moving, ‘We Were the Lucky Ones’ illustrates the scope of World War II, the inhumanity of others and the anguish of disconnection and loss.”
Matthew Gilbert (Boston Globe) observed: “Yes, the miniseries is challenging, and steeped in heartbreak,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Max just gave us all a Scooby Snack.
The Warner Bros. Discovery streaming service released the trailer to the second season of its original adult animated series “Velma” on April 15, 10 days ahead of its April 25 premiere.
“Velma” from Warner Bros. Animation gets another 10 episodes beginning a week from this Thursday. In Season 2, when an even spookier mystery grips Crystal Cove, Velma (Mindy Kaling) must find a way to balance her detective work with the demands of her newfound popularity before it’s too late, per Max. Meanwhile, her faithful friends Daphne (Constance Wu), Norville (Sam Richardson), and Fred (Glenn Howerton) are powerless to help thanks to their own personal battles and worse… Detention.
The second “Velma” season also features the voices of Russell Peters, Melissa Fumero, Sarayu Blue, Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Cherry Jones, Frank Welker, Nicole Byer, Gary Cole, Andia Winslow, and Sara Ramirez. The series, developed by Charlie Grandy,...
The Warner Bros. Discovery streaming service released the trailer to the second season of its original adult animated series “Velma” on April 15, 10 days ahead of its April 25 premiere.
“Velma” from Warner Bros. Animation gets another 10 episodes beginning a week from this Thursday. In Season 2, when an even spookier mystery grips Crystal Cove, Velma (Mindy Kaling) must find a way to balance her detective work with the demands of her newfound popularity before it’s too late, per Max. Meanwhile, her faithful friends Daphne (Constance Wu), Norville (Sam Richardson), and Fred (Glenn Howerton) are powerless to help thanks to their own personal battles and worse… Detention.
The second “Velma” season also features the voices of Russell Peters, Melissa Fumero, Sarayu Blue, Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Cherry Jones, Frank Welker, Nicole Byer, Gary Cole, Andia Winslow, and Sara Ramirez. The series, developed by Charlie Grandy,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Sofia Vergara is back on our small screens in a big way thanks to the her new Netflix series “Griselda.” The lavish production chronicles the rise of Griselda Blanco, known as the “cocaine Godmother,” as she flees from Medellín, Colombia, to Miami and creates one of the most notorious cartels in history.
Vergara gives her best performance in years as the ruthless, demanding, and brutal Griselda. She owns every scene she’s in and eats up not just the scenery but the entire cast, too. She commands every moment and delivers a complex portrait of a powerful woman, with critics agreeing Vergara is at the top of her game.
Barry Levitt (Empire) observed: “‘Griselda’ has given Vergara the chance to prove that she’s also a gifted dramatic actor — a challenge she more than rises to. Vergara (who also serves as executive producer) practically dissolves into the role, delivering an astonishing performance…...
Vergara gives her best performance in years as the ruthless, demanding, and brutal Griselda. She owns every scene she’s in and eats up not just the scenery but the entire cast, too. She commands every moment and delivers a complex portrait of a powerful woman, with critics agreeing Vergara is at the top of her game.
Barry Levitt (Empire) observed: “‘Griselda’ has given Vergara the chance to prove that she’s also a gifted dramatic actor — a challenge she more than rises to. Vergara (who also serves as executive producer) practically dissolves into the role, delivering an astonishing performance…...
- 3/26/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Pete Davidson is walking away from his semi-autobiographical comedy series, “Bupkis.”
The Peacock show, which debuted in May 2023, was slated to go into production this summer for a second season. Davidson issued a press statement formally pulling the plug on the series entirely.
“I’ve always seen ‘Bupkis’ as a window into my life, since it is so personal and about my struggles and family,” Davidson said. “After nearly a decade of my personal life being in the media I wanted a chance to tell my story my way. Of all the work I’ve ever done, ‘Bupkis’ is by far what I’m most proud of.”
He continued, “I am so grateful to Lorne Michaels and Broadway Video, Peacock, Universal Television, and the amazing cast and writers for helping me create something honest, funny, and heartfelt. I do also feel that this part of my life is finished. I...
The Peacock show, which debuted in May 2023, was slated to go into production this summer for a second season. Davidson issued a press statement formally pulling the plug on the series entirely.
“I’ve always seen ‘Bupkis’ as a window into my life, since it is so personal and about my struggles and family,” Davidson said. “After nearly a decade of my personal life being in the media I wanted a chance to tell my story my way. Of all the work I’ve ever done, ‘Bupkis’ is by far what I’m most proud of.”
He continued, “I am so grateful to Lorne Michaels and Broadway Video, Peacock, Universal Television, and the amazing cast and writers for helping me create something honest, funny, and heartfelt. I do also feel that this part of my life is finished. I...
- 3/22/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
If curating the Best Action Movies of All Time felt borderline impossible, then ranking just the top entries from this century is Mission Barely Manageable.
Most franchise IP blockbusters released to big box office hauls in recent years could qualify as “action movies” in one way or another. That’s particularly true when it comes to the omnipresent cultural phenomenon we call superhero films. It can be tempting to write off the entire action genre when all you see is the over-pixelated epics about super-somethings stopping intergalactic injustice that make up an increasingly large chunk of modern Hollywood. However, the action movies that depend less on fetishized source material have yielded some of the most personal higher-budget workaround. When done well, action movies can tell great character-driven stories through movement. Action — acted or animated — is simply drama made dynamic.
That principle is what separates so many of the movies on...
Most franchise IP blockbusters released to big box office hauls in recent years could qualify as “action movies” in one way or another. That’s particularly true when it comes to the omnipresent cultural phenomenon we call superhero films. It can be tempting to write off the entire action genre when all you see is the over-pixelated epics about super-somethings stopping intergalactic injustice that make up an increasingly large chunk of modern Hollywood. However, the action movies that depend less on fetishized source material have yielded some of the most personal higher-budget workaround. When done well, action movies can tell great character-driven stories through movement. Action — acted or animated — is simply drama made dynamic.
That principle is what separates so many of the movies on...
- 3/22/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
What would movies be about if not for love? Since well before the days of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in “Casablanca,” romance has driven countless classic stories, setting up some of the highest highs in cinematic history to follow. Be it Cary Grant and Grace Kelly seeing stars in “To Catch a Thief” or Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal disturbing diner patrons in “When Harry Met Sally,” the 20th century was chock full of iconic romances that helped humanity fall in love with the movies. Of course, those titles were dominated by white artists telling largely heteronormative tales — meaning many (but not all) of the best and most inclusive romances have arrived this millennium.
Now, the best romance movies of the 21st century both resonate and surprise, showing audiences characters they might recognize from their own lives in new and surprising ways. Yes, finding “the one” is exceedingly well-frequented thematic territory,...
Now, the best romance movies of the 21st century both resonate and surprise, showing audiences characters they might recognize from their own lives in new and surprising ways. Yes, finding “the one” is exceedingly well-frequented thematic territory,...
- 3/20/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
The musical sometimes feels like a relic of a long-dead Hollywood studio system, but it remains a genre that captures movies’ ability to create story worlds that move freely between reality and fantasy. The worst examples come from filmmakers who give license to music, color, and movement to run amok; the best transcend artifice and integrate songs that become expressions of pure character emotion. Musicals offer endless possibilities, but success demands a complete mastery of the medium.
The best movie musicals of all time have faced obstacles as varied as their creators’ styles and tastes. That’s in part because its integration of at least two art forms — music and film always, but sometimes also dance — demands an unusually high-caliber of multi-faceted talent from those attempting its complexities.
After Lee De Forest invented the “talky,” the opportunity oozing from that new tech prompted an industry rush on musicals in the last days of the 1920s.
The best movie musicals of all time have faced obstacles as varied as their creators’ styles and tastes. That’s in part because its integration of at least two art forms — music and film always, but sometimes also dance — demands an unusually high-caliber of multi-faceted talent from those attempting its complexities.
After Lee De Forest invented the “talky,” the opportunity oozing from that new tech prompted an industry rush on musicals in the last days of the 1920s.
- 3/20/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
While studio-backed crowdpleasers tend to dominate the headlines generated by the SXSW Film & TV Festival (like rowdy opener “Road House” and steamy closer “The Idea of You”), this year’s festival was chock-a-block with smaller offerings that a) delighted audiences and b) are still looking for distributions deals so that the may delight still more audiences. These titles run the gamut: debuts and follow-up features, narrative films and documentaries, comedies and horror joints, bonafide award winners and seemingly instant cult classics, and at least one film that hinges on the possibilities of “Grand Theft Auto.”
And while it’s still early days, given the incredible assortment of films still looking for homes, we can’t help but tout their allure to all interested buyers. These aren’t just the best available films from SXSW, they’re some of the very best of the fest, full stop, and wider audiences deserve to see them,...
And while it’s still early days, given the incredible assortment of films still looking for homes, we can’t help but tout their allure to all interested buyers. These aren’t just the best available films from SXSW, they’re some of the very best of the fest, full stop, and wider audiences deserve to see them,...
- 3/18/2024
- by Kate Erbland and David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Leo Woodall first came to prominence when he featured in season two of HBO’s “The White Lotus.” In that series, he played the, uh, “nephew” of Tom Hollander‘s character and made quite a splash in the role. Now, Woodall has gone from supporting player to leading man with Netflix’s new miniseries, “One Day.”
Adapted from David Nicholl‘s 2009 book of the same name (and the second adaptation overall after the much-maligned 2011 Anne Hathaway movie), “One Day” follows Woodall and “This is Going to Hurt” star Ambika Mod as two students (Dexter and Emma) who meet on graduation night. That chance meeting sparks an entwined relationship that encompasses friendship and lovers across a 20-year period as they continually meet on various July 15ths.
The result is a swooning, epic romance that hinges on the charisma of its two leads. Thankfully, both Woodall and Mod are up to the task.
Adapted from David Nicholl‘s 2009 book of the same name (and the second adaptation overall after the much-maligned 2011 Anne Hathaway movie), “One Day” follows Woodall and “This is Going to Hurt” star Ambika Mod as two students (Dexter and Emma) who meet on graduation night. That chance meeting sparks an entwined relationship that encompasses friendship and lovers across a 20-year period as they continually meet on various July 15ths.
The result is a swooning, epic romance that hinges on the charisma of its two leads. Thankfully, both Woodall and Mod are up to the task.
- 3/18/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
The 2011 film adaptation of David Nichols‘ novel “One Day” starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess was met with decidedly average notices at best. However, Netflix’s new adaptation has corrected that misstep and the limited series has received overwhelmingly positive reviews and acclaim from all corners.
This new editions showcases “This is Going to Hurt” breakout star Ambika Mod in the Hathaway role (Emma) while “The White Lotus'” Leo Woodall takes up the Sturgess mantle (Dexter). Emma and Dexter meet by chance on the night of graduating from university and the next day they part ways. However, their relationship then charts years as their fates are tied together. Both stars excel here and their chemistry propels the series to soaring heights while creator and writer Nicole Taylor, who wrote the 2018 Jessie Buckley movie “Wild Rose,” masterfully presides over proceedings, hence the rave reviews.
Aramide Tinubu (Variety) called it a “beautiful...
This new editions showcases “This is Going to Hurt” breakout star Ambika Mod in the Hathaway role (Emma) while “The White Lotus'” Leo Woodall takes up the Sturgess mantle (Dexter). Emma and Dexter meet by chance on the night of graduating from university and the next day they part ways. However, their relationship then charts years as their fates are tied together. Both stars excel here and their chemistry propels the series to soaring heights while creator and writer Nicole Taylor, who wrote the 2018 Jessie Buckley movie “Wild Rose,” masterfully presides over proceedings, hence the rave reviews.
Aramide Tinubu (Variety) called it a “beautiful...
- 3/15/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
The year is 2296. The place is Filly, the post-apocalyptic “vault” where Lucy (Ella Purnell) must fight to survive in a world already on the edge of extinction. The place is filled with scavengers, ne’er-do-wells, and rules you can’t learn until you’ve broken them.
The place is actually Hotel San Jose in Austin, Texas — but it’s an impressive disguise.
TV and film activations once again took over South by Southwest in March, inviting fans and curious visitors into the world of shows like “Fallout,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “Halo,” “3 Body Problem,” and more. For better or worse, the small screen is getting smaller. For every 80-inch TV mounted on a wall, there’s someone downloading their favorite shows to watch on a phone while commuting. TV and film activations offer scale — the 3D version of high-profile directors encouraging viewers to go to theaters, and compelling people to...
The place is actually Hotel San Jose in Austin, Texas — but it’s an impressive disguise.
TV and film activations once again took over South by Southwest in March, inviting fans and curious visitors into the world of shows like “Fallout,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “Halo,” “3 Body Problem,” and more. For better or worse, the small screen is getting smaller. For every 80-inch TV mounted on a wall, there’s someone downloading their favorite shows to watch on a phone while commuting. TV and film activations offer scale — the 3D version of high-profile directors encouraging viewers to go to theaters, and compelling people to...
- 3/12/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
The SAG Awards are huge — in Canada.
Netflix live-streamed the Screen Actors Guild’s event on Saturday, and though the awards show did not make the Top 10 in the U.S. (or globally), it did in exactly one country: Canada. As a matter of fact, it made the Top 9 (at number nine) there.
We don’t know exactly how the SAG Awards fared in the U.S. — not yet. Currently, all we know is that it had fewer than 2.1 million views in the U.S..
There will be a point at which time we will know exactly how the 2024 SAG Awards performed. Netflix is now performing a giant data dump twice per year sharing the hours viewed for any and every title that was streamed for at least 50,000 hours over six months. That will be easy for the SAG Awards, but don’t hold your breath until then — the January-June...
Netflix live-streamed the Screen Actors Guild’s event on Saturday, and though the awards show did not make the Top 10 in the U.S. (or globally), it did in exactly one country: Canada. As a matter of fact, it made the Top 9 (at number nine) there.
We don’t know exactly how the SAG Awards fared in the U.S. — not yet. Currently, all we know is that it had fewer than 2.1 million views in the U.S..
There will be a point at which time we will know exactly how the 2024 SAG Awards performed. Netflix is now performing a giant data dump twice per year sharing the hours viewed for any and every title that was streamed for at least 50,000 hours over six months. That will be easy for the SAG Awards, but don’t hold your breath until then — the January-June...
- 2/27/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
There’s something uniquely cinematic about romantic comedies — something that makes them a natural fit for the movies and vice-versa. There’s an intoxicating alchemy that allows us to believe in the magic of meet-cutes, happily-ever-afters, and all the agonizing contrivances that tend to pop up between the two. Love it seems gives storytellers permission to transpose the stuff of operas and fables into the fabric of real (or at least overly glossed but still recognizable) life.
On paper, a film like “Pretty Woman” might be a retrograde fairy tale about a sex worker with a heart of gold and the rich businessman who can afford it, but the chemistry between Julia Roberts and Richard Gere is so explosive that you surrender to the sentiment of it all. Literally nothing in Richard Curtis’ “Love Actually” makes sense if you stop and think about it for even a few seconds. The...
On paper, a film like “Pretty Woman” might be a retrograde fairy tale about a sex worker with a heart of gold and the rich businessman who can afford it, but the chemistry between Julia Roberts and Richard Gere is so explosive that you surrender to the sentiment of it all. Literally nothing in Richard Curtis’ “Love Actually” makes sense if you stop and think about it for even a few seconds. The...
- 2/14/2024
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
[Editor’s note: This story contains spoilers for the film and series “One Day,” both based on David Nicholls’ 2009 novel of the same name.]
If you went to see the 2011 film “One Day” in theaters, you may remember one thing and one thing only. That thing. In fact, as we type out this article, unsuspecting viewers all over the world are booting up Netflix’s superior adaptation and probably receiving the shock of a lifetime in Episode 11, refreshing the battery life on this harrowing plot twist for a whole new generation.
But Nicole Taylor’s new series has way more going for it than the film did, and a lasting power that includes compelling leads, inviting chemistry, and genuinely adept storytelling — none of which were present in the movie (that Anne Hathaway/Jim Sturgess misstep is currently rocking a 35 percent on Rotten Tomatoes).
In her review, IndieWire Senior TV Writer Proma Khosla noted, “‘One Day’ as a limited series leaves a much stronger impression than it ever could have as a film, minting [Ambika] Mod and [Leo] Woodall’s chemistry,...
If you went to see the 2011 film “One Day” in theaters, you may remember one thing and one thing only. That thing. In fact, as we type out this article, unsuspecting viewers all over the world are booting up Netflix’s superior adaptation and probably receiving the shock of a lifetime in Episode 11, refreshing the battery life on this harrowing plot twist for a whole new generation.
But Nicole Taylor’s new series has way more going for it than the film did, and a lasting power that includes compelling leads, inviting chemistry, and genuinely adept storytelling — none of which were present in the movie (that Anne Hathaway/Jim Sturgess misstep is currently rocking a 35 percent on Rotten Tomatoes).
In her review, IndieWire Senior TV Writer Proma Khosla noted, “‘One Day’ as a limited series leaves a much stronger impression than it ever could have as a film, minting [Ambika] Mod and [Leo] Woodall’s chemistry,...
- 2/9/2024
- by Erin Strecker and Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
There’s plenty to dread about 2024, but thankfully, TV isn’t one of them. The strikes are over! That means many great projects can return to work.
While there are tons of intriguing TV shows yet to be announced, there’s plenty to get excited about coming next year that we already know about. From Elisabeth Moss’ twisty TV return with “The Veil” to Kate Winslet’s HBO homecoming with “The Regime,” 2024’s headliners have something for everyone. We can’t wait to check out buzzy book adaptations like “Apples Never Fall” starring Annette Bening, or “Palm Royale” starring Kristin Wiig. And of course, the most exciting big swings could point to a huge TV breakout: We’ve got high hopes for FX’s “Shōgun,” Prime Video’s “Fallout,” and many others.
A note: We also can’t wait for some returning favorites like Season 2 of “House of the Dragon” and another season of “Hacks,...
While there are tons of intriguing TV shows yet to be announced, there’s plenty to get excited about coming next year that we already know about. From Elisabeth Moss’ twisty TV return with “The Veil” to Kate Winslet’s HBO homecoming with “The Regime,” 2024’s headliners have something for everyone. We can’t wait to check out buzzy book adaptations like “Apples Never Fall” starring Annette Bening, or “Palm Royale” starring Kristin Wiig. And of course, the most exciting big swings could point to a huge TV breakout: We’ve got high hopes for FX’s “Shōgun,” Prime Video’s “Fallout,” and many others.
A note: We also can’t wait for some returning favorites like Season 2 of “House of the Dragon” and another season of “Hacks,...
- 12/30/2023
- by Erin Strecker
- Indiewire
A wide range of 2023 films had a song in their heart — and not just the outright musicals or films featuring musical numbers. A great needle drop can change or solidify a film’s tone, act as the cap on everything we’ve seen, or define a character better than any camera move, line of dialogue, or even performance can fully articulate.
This year we’ve had some great needle drops, from the films we expect to think obsessively about music — and these can range as widely as “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” to “Maestro;” from films that were delightful surprises built on musical swagger — it is criminal that we could only pick one song each from “Bottoms” and “Polite Society” because both films are filled wall-to-wall with bops; and from films that intentionally use music to hurt us and make us love them for it — a musical streak for...
This year we’ve had some great needle drops, from the films we expect to think obsessively about music — and these can range as widely as “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” to “Maestro;” from films that were delightful surprises built on musical swagger — it is criminal that we could only pick one song each from “Bottoms” and “Polite Society” because both films are filled wall-to-wall with bops; and from films that intentionally use music to hurt us and make us love them for it — a musical streak for...
- 12/19/2023
- by Sarah Shachat and Mark Peikert
- Indiewire
Another 456 people will be put through the ringer in the chance to win a giant cash prize.
Netflix has ordered a second season of “Squid Game: The Challenge,” its hit reality competition show based on the massive Korean series “Squid Game.” The announcement was made 12 hours before Netflix airs the finale of the first season on December 7 at 9 p.m. Et, in which the winner will receive a $4.56 million reward, the largest cash prize in reality TV history.
A renewal of “Squid Game: The Challenge” should come as a surprise to no one, except for perhaps people who were expecting we’d get an actual second season of “Squid Game” by now. Despite controversial news reports in which contestants during the famed Red Light-Green Light game accused producers of harsh filming conditions and the contest being rigged for cast members who had been pre-selected to advance, the show has been...
Netflix has ordered a second season of “Squid Game: The Challenge,” its hit reality competition show based on the massive Korean series “Squid Game.” The announcement was made 12 hours before Netflix airs the finale of the first season on December 7 at 9 p.m. Et, in which the winner will receive a $4.56 million reward, the largest cash prize in reality TV history.
A renewal of “Squid Game: The Challenge” should come as a surprise to no one, except for perhaps people who were expecting we’d get an actual second season of “Squid Game” by now. Despite controversial news reports in which contestants during the famed Red Light-Green Light game accused producers of harsh filming conditions and the contest being rigged for cast members who had been pre-selected to advance, the show has been...
- 12/6/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
When LGBTQ community-gathering spaces were largely put on pause by the pandemic, those once-in-person safe havens became our streaming platforms and technical devices at home. Hyper-specific pop subcultures emerged — here’s looking at you, queer readers of the generally awful “Friends” — and reputations for streamers’ philosophies toward and commitment to LGBTQ content were widely discussed online. (Shout out to Showtime: the premium cable network still servicing lesbians everywhere.)
Even as the world has opened back up, in Hollywood, it feels like queer storytelling and community are more galvanized than ever. Nowhere is that more tidily displayed than on the carousels of “LGBTQ” offerings found across entertainment platforms. Netflix, a heavyweight in any streaming conversation (regardless of its rocky 2022), has played a significant role in green-lighting major queer-inclusive projects across television and film. Not only has the platform championed many shows that were queer in premise — see “Grace and Frankie” or...
Even as the world has opened back up, in Hollywood, it feels like queer storytelling and community are more galvanized than ever. Nowhere is that more tidily displayed than on the carousels of “LGBTQ” offerings found across entertainment platforms. Netflix, a heavyweight in any streaming conversation (regardless of its rocky 2022), has played a significant role in green-lighting major queer-inclusive projects across television and film. Not only has the platform championed many shows that were queer in premise — see “Grace and Frankie” or...
- 12/2/2023
- by Wilson Chapman, Alison Foreman and Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Episodes are worth celebrating. After all, they’re the thing that makes television TV. It’s the chance that the next one might be fresher or messier or scarier than the one before it. Each new episode of a show is a new chance to recontextualize someone else’s hard work within a new set of circumstances for anyone watching.
Transcendent TV experiences can be products of time or place. A casual check-in with a show you’ve fallen away from turns out to be the episode that transformed the series for good. Some momentous occasion means cause for celebration or wallowing and you just happen to pick the one chapter of an ongoing story that perfectly matches the mood. At its most powerful, TV has the ability to shift your entire being and make you see someone else in a fundamentally different way.
We wanted this list to celebrate...
Transcendent TV experiences can be products of time or place. A casual check-in with a show you’ve fallen away from turns out to be the episode that transformed the series for good. Some momentous occasion means cause for celebration or wallowing and you just happen to pick the one chapter of an ongoing story that perfectly matches the mood. At its most powerful, TV has the ability to shift your entire being and make you see someone else in a fundamentally different way.
We wanted this list to celebrate...
- 11/29/2023
- by Steve Greene, Ben Travers and Erin Strecker
- Indiewire
When it really wants to, Netflix does a great job at letting people know what TV shows it has to offer. Unfortunately, with the never-ending wave of new shows constantly arriving, high-profile creators on the creative roster, and shifts in the streaming wars and algorithms that can upend viewer attention at any moment, there always seem to be series that fall between the cracks.
To go with the ever-growing list of reviews that we publish on the site on a regular basis (including new releases worth your time), IndieWire combed through Netflix to put together a collection of the best series that the streamer has ever had to offer: a perfect resource for when there’s nothing fresh you really fancy. It’s a tricky time for the streaming industry at large, with changes in pricing and user strategy — not to mention sudden removals — signaling a potential sea change. In...
To go with the ever-growing list of reviews that we publish on the site on a regular basis (including new releases worth your time), IndieWire combed through Netflix to put together a collection of the best series that the streamer has ever had to offer: a perfect resource for when there’s nothing fresh you really fancy. It’s a tricky time for the streaming industry at large, with changes in pricing and user strategy — not to mention sudden removals — signaling a potential sea change. In...
- 10/31/2023
- by Steve Greene and Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
Updated: With the fall festivals behind us — we’re talking the triple whammy of Venice, Telluride, and Toronto, plus the just-wrapped New York Film Festival and BFI London — we’re taking stock of the best films of the circuit. While it’s always easy to use the fall festivals as a window into this year’s awards contenders, of which many debuted over the past few weeks, the festivals have also provided us with some of the best films of 2023, full stop.
These standouts include new films from perennial favorites like Hayao Miyazaki, Errol Morris, Bertrand Bonello, Yorgos Lanthimos, Kitty Green, Andrew Haigh, Bill and Turner Ross, and Alexander Payne. Rising stars aren’t in short supply either, including first and second narrative features from TIFF winner Cord Jefferson, Annie Baker, and Kristoffer Borgli. Amongst this selection, words like “gem,” “masterpiece,” and “crowd-pleaser” are thrown around with regularity, but not without real consideration.
These standouts include new films from perennial favorites like Hayao Miyazaki, Errol Morris, Bertrand Bonello, Yorgos Lanthimos, Kitty Green, Andrew Haigh, Bill and Turner Ross, and Alexander Payne. Rising stars aren’t in short supply either, including first and second narrative features from TIFF winner Cord Jefferson, Annie Baker, and Kristoffer Borgli. Amongst this selection, words like “gem,” “masterpiece,” and “crowd-pleaser” are thrown around with regularity, but not without real consideration.
- 10/16/2023
- by Kate Erbland, David Ehrlich and Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
[Editor’s note: This story contains spoilers for the ending of “Starstruck” Season 3.]
Time was that in a romantic comedy, the leads always ended up together.
That’s changed over time as audience and narrative priorities shift, and as television dove deeper into the rom-com game along with film, finding ways to unite, separate, and permute every pairing while filling out hours and hours of story. A lot of sitcoms spin that into classic TV romance; Ross and Rachel, Cory and Topanga, Jess and Nick. In recent years, the trend has skewed toward getting a couple together and keeping them together; Jake and Amy, David and Patrick, Janine and Gregory.
And then there is the Secret Third Thing, the rare and difficult move where a show pairs its lead character or characters off with someone who wasn’t the original plan. Sometimes there are outside factors (“Cheers” comes to mind), while other times it’s simply a more desirable story development.
Time was that in a romantic comedy, the leads always ended up together.
That’s changed over time as audience and narrative priorities shift, and as television dove deeper into the rom-com game along with film, finding ways to unite, separate, and permute every pairing while filling out hours and hours of story. A lot of sitcoms spin that into classic TV romance; Ross and Rachel, Cory and Topanga, Jess and Nick. In recent years, the trend has skewed toward getting a couple together and keeping them together; Jake and Amy, David and Patrick, Janine and Gregory.
And then there is the Secret Third Thing, the rare and difficult move where a show pairs its lead character or characters off with someone who wasn’t the original plan. Sometimes there are outside factors (“Cheers” comes to mind), while other times it’s simply a more desirable story development.
- 10/2/2023
- by Proma Khosla and Ben Travers
- Indiewire
With his work spanning decades of TV and film, and a warm presence that’s equally radiant across screens big and small, John Corbett has made an illustrious career from being “that guy” in “that rom-com.”
The 62-year-old actor is perhaps best known for his role as Aidan Shaw: Carrie’s second choice on the ’90s smash hit “Sex and the City” and the second-most controversial character in its contemporary Max spinoff, “And Just Like That…”
Corbett is equally celebrated for his breakout film performance as the leading man in indie darling “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” Nia Vardalos’ treasured love story from 2002 tells the tale of a sheltered woman and her enormous, meddlesome family introducing Corbett’s dashing fiance character, the magnanimous school teacher Ian Miller, to countless kooky relatives, the Greek Orthodox Church, and the healing power of Windex.
Those two star-making moments for Corbett re-collided this...
The 62-year-old actor is perhaps best known for his role as Aidan Shaw: Carrie’s second choice on the ’90s smash hit “Sex and the City” and the second-most controversial character in its contemporary Max spinoff, “And Just Like That…”
Corbett is equally celebrated for his breakout film performance as the leading man in indie darling “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” Nia Vardalos’ treasured love story from 2002 tells the tale of a sheltered woman and her enormous, meddlesome family introducing Corbett’s dashing fiance character, the magnanimous school teacher Ian Miller, to countless kooky relatives, the Greek Orthodox Church, and the healing power of Windex.
Those two star-making moments for Corbett re-collided this...
- 9/14/2023
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
Whether or not you agree with Quentin Tarantino’s unsparing assertion that “’80s cinema is, along with the ’50s, the worst era in Hollywood history,” there’s a curiously undeniable truth to his follow-up statement: “Matched only by now! Matched only by the current era.” Revisiting the defining movies of the ’80s from our current perspective at the height of Barbenheimer summer, two things become abundantly clear.
The first is that modern Hollywood would probably need a Barbenheimer every month in order to equal the creative output of a studio system that used to be capable of releasing “Blade Runner” and “The Thing” on the same night as if it were just another Friday. The second is that, in a wide variety of different ways both negative and not, the ’80s provide a perfect match for the movies of our current moment — if not the current moment itself.
Perhaps that...
The first is that modern Hollywood would probably need a Barbenheimer every month in order to equal the creative output of a studio system that used to be capable of releasing “Blade Runner” and “The Thing” on the same night as if it were just another Friday. The second is that, in a wide variety of different ways both negative and not, the ’80s provide a perfect match for the movies of our current moment — if not the current moment itself.
Perhaps that...
- 8/14/2023
- by IndieWire Staff
- Indiewire
The year is 1998. “Frasier” is nominated for Best Comedy Series at the Emmys. It will win for the fifth time.
The year is 2014. “Modern Family” is nominated for Best Comedy Series at the Emmys. It will win for the fifth time.
The year is 2023. “Ted Lasso” is nominated for Best Comedy Series at the Emmys. It will likely win for the third time.
Proma, there are undoubtedly more egregious examples of the Emmys repeating themselves beyond all reason and common sense than what’s listed above, but their latest bit of rage-inducing repetition is too baffling to ignore. Yes, it’s time to talk about “Ted Lasso” again. Despite an infamous (and widely agreed-upon) drop-off in quality during its third (and possibly final) season, the TV Academy went right ahead and handed the Apple TV+ original more Emmy nominations than any other 2023 comedy. Not only that, but its 21 nominations for...
The year is 2014. “Modern Family” is nominated for Best Comedy Series at the Emmys. It will win for the fifth time.
The year is 2023. “Ted Lasso” is nominated for Best Comedy Series at the Emmys. It will likely win for the third time.
Proma, there are undoubtedly more egregious examples of the Emmys repeating themselves beyond all reason and common sense than what’s listed above, but their latest bit of rage-inducing repetition is too baffling to ignore. Yes, it’s time to talk about “Ted Lasso” again. Despite an infamous (and widely agreed-upon) drop-off in quality during its third (and possibly final) season, the TV Academy went right ahead and handed the Apple TV+ original more Emmy nominations than any other 2023 comedy. Not only that, but its 21 nominations for...
- 8/4/2023
- by Ben Travers and Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
Talk about living in a Barbie World. As Greta Gerwig’s smash hit dominates the box office in just its second week of release, giddily plowing its way toward an expected billion (with a b) box office take, we must face the inevitable: this thing’s gonna get a sequel, right? While Gerwig’s film (co-written with her partner Noah Baumbach) is a major crowdpleaser, it still feels subversive in the way it takes on everything from toxic patriarchy to the very toy conglomerate that owns the iconic doll. But any smarting Mattel and Warner Bros. Discovery might have felt during the creation of the film has surely been eased by its massive success at the box office. Money talks, and we’re betting that Wbd has already pulled up the dump truck outside Gerwig and Baumbach’s house.
IndieWire’s Kate Erbland, Erin Strecker, and Proma Khosla have all seen (and enjoyed!
IndieWire’s Kate Erbland, Erin Strecker, and Proma Khosla have all seen (and enjoyed!
- 7/31/2023
- by Kate Erbland, Erin Strecker and Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
To quote Alice Cooper (and poorly paraphrase “High School Musical 2”), school’s out for summer. With Boppenheimer hitting air-conditioned theaters midway through July — just as countless actors and screenwriters head into the heat to join picket-lines in New York and Los Angeles — summer 2023 will no doubt prove a memorable one for Hollywood. What better time then to consider how the movies themselves represent the reason for the season?
The best summer vacation movies range in subject matter and can appeal to all sorts of different audiences. Kid-centric flicks, like “The Parent Trap,” and adult slashers, like the “Friday the 13th” films, explore the traditions and perils of sleep-away camp from spectacularly different view points. Meanwhile, road trip flicks, like the Audrey Hepburn-starring “Two for the Road” and Hindi film “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,” consider the ins-and-outs of traveling across the country with a similar romanticism but using tones separated by decades and cultures.
The best summer vacation movies range in subject matter and can appeal to all sorts of different audiences. Kid-centric flicks, like “The Parent Trap,” and adult slashers, like the “Friday the 13th” films, explore the traditions and perils of sleep-away camp from spectacularly different view points. Meanwhile, road trip flicks, like the Audrey Hepburn-starring “Two for the Road” and Hindi film “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,” consider the ins-and-outs of traveling across the country with a similar romanticism but using tones separated by decades and cultures.
- 7/21/2023
- by Alison Foreman and Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Wait, the Emmys are still happening? Really? In this economy?
Yes, the 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards remain on schedule — for now. Despite an FYC season altered by the writers strike executives refusing to treat writers like living, working, human beings and reports of a potential SAG strike forcing September’s ceremony to be delayed into next year, nominations for the 75th Annual Emmy Awards were announced Wednesday morning, with barely a mention of anything out of the ordinary.
What did feel out of the ordinary, though, were some of the TV Academy’s nominees. There were a handful of surprises and, as is inevitable, there were even more snubs. But before we get too far into the particulars, a polite reminder: When IndieWire uses the term “snub,” we’re simply relying on the industry’s accepted shorthand. A snub is just a series or individual who was expected to be nominated,...
Yes, the 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards remain on schedule — for now. Despite an FYC season altered by the writers strike executives refusing to treat writers like living, working, human beings and reports of a potential SAG strike forcing September’s ceremony to be delayed into next year, nominations for the 75th Annual Emmy Awards were announced Wednesday morning, with barely a mention of anything out of the ordinary.
What did feel out of the ordinary, though, were some of the TV Academy’s nominees. There were a handful of surprises and, as is inevitable, there were even more snubs. But before we get too far into the particulars, a polite reminder: When IndieWire uses the term “snub,” we’re simply relying on the industry’s accepted shorthand. A snub is just a series or individual who was expected to be nominated,...
- 7/12/2023
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
If you want to feel completely unmoored by the passage of time, here’s a fun fact: Nearly four years passed between Seasons 1 and 3 of “I Think You Should Leave” from co-creators Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin. Thankfully, the wait is over, and now comedy fans can savor a whole new batch of sketches to join the previous 57, bringing the total to a whopping 85. The full series (so far — fingers crossed for more) ranks as Netflix’s easiest and most satisfying binge with episodes under 20 minutes and endless absurdity.
It’s doubtful anyone realized what kind of impact that first season would have on our culture; a man in a hot dog costume is now visual shorthand for shunning responsibility, and an old man dabbing became someone to laugh with, not at. Season 2’s sketches quickly broke through, while others were repurposed based on news at the time. Still more might be forgotten,...
It’s doubtful anyone realized what kind of impact that first season would have on our culture; a man in a hot dog costume is now visual shorthand for shunning responsibility, and an old man dabbing became someone to laugh with, not at. Season 2’s sketches quickly broke through, while others were repurposed based on news at the time. Still more might be forgotten,...
- 6/2/2023
- by Steve Greene and Libby Hill
- Indiewire
It’s hard to think of any television show that has over-delivered on its premise more than “Barry.” You’d be forgiven for thinking a show billed as “a hitman begins taking acting classes” sounded like the worst idea on the planet when the series was announced in 2016. But if there’s one thing the show has definitively proven (even if we arguably should have known it before), it’s that you should never bet against Bill Hader.
Hader’s “Barry,” which he co-created with “Seinfeld” and “Silicon Valley” veteran Alec Berg, is more than just the first major TV role for a “Saturday Night Live” legend. It’s been a four season rollout for one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. And it happened alongside an overdue Henry Winkler renaissance; yet another knockout from Stephen Root; and breakout performances for Anthony Carrigan and Sarah Golberg.
From its very first episode,...
Hader’s “Barry,” which he co-created with “Seinfeld” and “Silicon Valley” veteran Alec Berg, is more than just the first major TV role for a “Saturday Night Live” legend. It’s been a four season rollout for one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. And it happened alongside an overdue Henry Winkler renaissance; yet another knockout from Stephen Root; and breakout performances for Anthony Carrigan and Sarah Golberg.
From its very first episode,...
- 5/27/2023
- by Alison Foreman and Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
We may never see other phenomenon like “Squid Game.” Hopefully we do. The Emmys are the kind of voting body/cultural institution that should get that yearly kind of external shakeup, just as film awards have seen non-English language productions catch fire with the public and capture awards attention. Getting to that point for “Squid Game” meant legendary word of mouth, Netflix backing, and a quality series with elements that made voting for it all the easier, a perfect Emmys storm.
But even if those lightning-in-a-bottle circumstances are seemingly impossible to recapture on purpose, the success of “Squid Game” did lay out a roadmap for other potential international hits to succeed on their own. A year after a genuine phenomenon, it seems like the TV world has largely waited for Season 2 of that show to be the next international series to enjoy that kind of success.
What if we didn’t have to wait?...
But even if those lightning-in-a-bottle circumstances are seemingly impossible to recapture on purpose, the success of “Squid Game” did lay out a roadmap for other potential international hits to succeed on their own. A year after a genuine phenomenon, it seems like the TV world has largely waited for Season 2 of that show to be the next international series to enjoy that kind of success.
What if we didn’t have to wait?...
- 5/15/2023
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Summer is a time to savor the great outdoors — to emerge from a wearying winter into the rejuvenating sunlight and appreciate the splendor of a world that’s slowly, steadily, catching on fire. But if you’re a TV fan, summer is also a peculiar time for storytelling. Some new shows feel like they’re trying to match the scope and scale of big-screen blockbusters. Others are incredibly strange experiments, either dumped on or targeted for the time of year when networks aren’t just competing with each other, but barbecues and baseball, fireworks and catching fireflies.
IndieWire’s 2023 Summer TV Preview is here to help. Our TV staff has selected 15 key programs debuting between mid-May and the end of July. About half are returning favorites while the rest are completely new Each one is either an exciting show because of the creatives involved or an important series for the...
IndieWire’s 2023 Summer TV Preview is here to help. Our TV staff has selected 15 key programs debuting between mid-May and the end of July. About half are returning favorites while the rest are completely new Each one is either an exciting show because of the creatives involved or an important series for the...
- 5/3/2023
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Following “Naatu Naatu”s historic Oscar win for Best Original Song the live performance at Sunday’s performance has come under fire for its exclusion of South Asian choreographers and ensemble dancers.
Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava, who recorded the song for the “Rrr” soundtrack, sang onstage alongside two lead dancers in place of stars Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr. The telecast recreated the scene from the film in which their characters, Ram and Bheem, face off against a large party of white Brits using the power of Telugu dance.
Critics pointed out that the performance was choreographed by “So You Think You Can Dance” duo Napoleon and Tabitha D’umo, neither of whom are of Indian descent. Nor did the ensemble prominently feature dancers of South Asian descent, a missed opportunity for wider representation, critics said.
The Academy did not comment further on the backlash. In an interview with AMPAS’ magazine A.
Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava, who recorded the song for the “Rrr” soundtrack, sang onstage alongside two lead dancers in place of stars Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr. The telecast recreated the scene from the film in which their characters, Ram and Bheem, face off against a large party of white Brits using the power of Telugu dance.
Critics pointed out that the performance was choreographed by “So You Think You Can Dance” duo Napoleon and Tabitha D’umo, neither of whom are of Indian descent. Nor did the ensemble prominently feature dancers of South Asian descent, a missed opportunity for wider representation, critics said.
The Academy did not comment further on the backlash. In an interview with AMPAS’ magazine A.
- 3/14/2023
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
[Editor’s note: The below article was originally published on March 27, 2020. It has been expanded from the 50 greatest TV comedies of all time to 75, as of February 24, 2023.]
Comedy rules are made to be broken. If all laughter comes from some great psychological misdirect, then it follows that the funniest series are the ones that continue to take the unexpected routes.
But sometimes a comedy is memorable because of the rules that it inadvertently puts in place. Some foundational TV series have endured not because they were ratings or cultural juggernauts in their time, but because their spiritual descendants dotted programming lineups years — maybe even decades — after their cameras stopped rolling. As in other realms of entertainment, the TV comedies that endure and that are worth revisiting manage to speak to something brewing in their day and the audiences watching generations after. Sometimes it’s a matter of seeing how much the idea of good governance has changed since some starry-eyed optimists in Indiana closed up shop just a few years ago. Other times, it’s recognizing how...
Comedy rules are made to be broken. If all laughter comes from some great psychological misdirect, then it follows that the funniest series are the ones that continue to take the unexpected routes.
But sometimes a comedy is memorable because of the rules that it inadvertently puts in place. Some foundational TV series have endured not because they were ratings or cultural juggernauts in their time, but because their spiritual descendants dotted programming lineups years — maybe even decades — after their cameras stopped rolling. As in other realms of entertainment, the TV comedies that endure and that are worth revisiting manage to speak to something brewing in their day and the audiences watching generations after. Sometimes it’s a matter of seeing how much the idea of good governance has changed since some starry-eyed optimists in Indiana closed up shop just a few years ago. Other times, it’s recognizing how...
- 2/25/2023
- by Ben Travers and Steve Greene
- Indiewire
There is no such thing as a simple dinner party among friends when you’re dealing with the uber rich.
From “Glass Onion” to “Bodies Bodies Bodies” to the respective second seasons of “The White Lotus” and “Only Murders in the Building,” the portrayals of murder mystery parlor games over dinner have been the pressure cooker crux of whodunits as of late. Yet leave it to meta Netflix series “You” to skewer expectations, just as lead character Jonathan Moore aka Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) is hyper-aware of his own stake in the slow roasted game afoot.
Episodes 4 and 5, or rather the respective Part 1 finale for “You” Season 4, take place in a remote castle where Lady Phoebe (Tilly Keeper) and her squad of morally numb university pals seek solace from the Eat the Rich Killer, who Jonathan is determined to prove is already among them. Of course, a drug-fueled and bird-hunting...
From “Glass Onion” to “Bodies Bodies Bodies” to the respective second seasons of “The White Lotus” and “Only Murders in the Building,” the portrayals of murder mystery parlor games over dinner have been the pressure cooker crux of whodunits as of late. Yet leave it to meta Netflix series “You” to skewer expectations, just as lead character Jonathan Moore aka Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) is hyper-aware of his own stake in the slow roasted game afoot.
Episodes 4 and 5, or rather the respective Part 1 finale for “You” Season 4, take place in a remote castle where Lady Phoebe (Tilly Keeper) and her squad of morally numb university pals seek solace from the Eat the Rich Killer, who Jonathan is determined to prove is already among them. Of course, a drug-fueled and bird-hunting...
- 2/11/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
When looking through a given year’s best movies and shows, it’s helpful for a writer to find connections among the prominent picks. Perhaps this was a year where studio fare stood tall, or indie darlings broke big. Maybe 2022 saw an uptick in stories about burgeoning fascism or very good donkeys. Heck, even taking note of broader trends — like the potential resurgence of theatrical motion pictures or the possible end of streaming content boom — can give a list a sense of purpose or clarity.
But when it comes to our picks for the best LGBTQ movies and shows in 2022, what’s refreshing to notice is the lack of commonalities. Comedies like “Bros” and “Fire Island” were given major release platforms courtesy of Universal and Searchlight, respectively. Dramatic fare like “Benediction” and “The Inspection” rode festival buzz and critical praise to leave their mark. This year’s top awards contenders are queer,...
But when it comes to our picks for the best LGBTQ movies and shows in 2022, what’s refreshing to notice is the lack of commonalities. Comedies like “Bros” and “Fire Island” were given major release platforms courtesy of Universal and Searchlight, respectively. Dramatic fare like “Benediction” and “The Inspection” rode festival buzz and critical praise to leave their mark. This year’s top awards contenders are queer,...
- 12/15/2022
- by Ben Travers and Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Editor’s Note: While some series may have ended in 2021 they weren’t officially canceled until 2022 and thus are included on this list.
Too often canceled series are abruptly cast to the winds, unable to wrap up storylines and character arcs. But 2022 felt different. Several prominent shows, including “Atlanta,” “Better Things,” and “The Good Fight,” were told by their respective networks their end had come, so were given the chance to wrap things up. This year’s list of best canceled series tried to focus on shows that weren’t given that kindness.
Series that, for one reason or another, never got an opportunity to get off the ground in spite of having more than one season to tell a story. In some instances, like with “The Flight Attendant,” “Kevin Can F Himself,” or “Gentleman Jack,” they had more than one season—as well as significant delays between their first...
Too often canceled series are abruptly cast to the winds, unable to wrap up storylines and character arcs. But 2022 felt different. Several prominent shows, including “Atlanta,” “Better Things,” and “The Good Fight,” were told by their respective networks their end had come, so were given the chance to wrap things up. This year’s list of best canceled series tried to focus on shows that weren’t given that kindness.
Series that, for one reason or another, never got an opportunity to get off the ground in spite of having more than one season to tell a story. In some instances, like with “The Flight Attendant,” “Kevin Can F Himself,” or “Gentleman Jack,” they had more than one season—as well as significant delays between their first...
- 12/8/2022
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
One of the most satisfying aspects of any year in entertainment is looking back on what we’ve learned — specifically, looking back on who we’ve learned about. Spread across every arbitrary set of 365 days are fresh faces, distinct personalities, and remarkable talents to recognize; skilled actors whose recent emergence all but guarantees we’ll get to see more of them in the future. How exciting! What luck — for them, and for us!
But such discoveries can, at times, be far too restricted. Whether the performance was given in a film or TV show that didn’t reach the audience it deserved, or the eye of the culture was attuned to something or someone else, and overlooked an important discovery right under its nose, that’s where we come in. IndieWire has gathered a list of 14 breakout performances from 2022, spanning film and television. Some you’ve certainly heard of already.
But such discoveries can, at times, be far too restricted. Whether the performance was given in a film or TV show that didn’t reach the audience it deserved, or the eye of the culture was attuned to something or someone else, and overlooked an important discovery right under its nose, that’s where we come in. IndieWire has gathered a list of 14 breakout performances from 2022, spanning film and television. Some you’ve certainly heard of already.
- 12/5/2022
- by Ben Travers and Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
2022 was supposed to be the year that movies came roaring back to life, and in some ways it almost was. On the business side of things, multiplexes were starved for content and arthouses suffered outside of New York and Los Angeles — where films like “Tár” and “The Banshees of Inisherin” exploded out of the gate, only to fade as they expanded across the country — while a late-career triumph from the most commercially successful filmmaker in American history offered a poignant reflection on the relationship between art and commerce as it underperformed at the box office.
And yet, “Top Gun: Maverick” proved that the masses could still be tempted by the promise of new (or refurbished) spectacle, while the astonishing success of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” confirmed that younger audiences are eager as ever to champion stuff that speaks their language.
But if it never quite felt as if the...
And yet, “Top Gun: Maverick” proved that the masses could still be tempted by the promise of new (or refurbished) spectacle, while the astonishing success of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” confirmed that younger audiences are eager as ever to champion stuff that speaks their language.
But if it never quite felt as if the...
- 12/1/2022
- by David Ehrlich, Kate Erbland and Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Choosing the best TV episodes is very different from choosing the best TV.
The best episodes might be outstanding hours of shows that fluctuate in quality, or a pivotal character moment or story beat that contextualizes everything else. Sometimes the best episode is part of an almost embarrassing bounty — just one of many consistently brilliant installments in a TV show that blew away both audiences and critics.
IndieWire’s look at the best TV episodes of 2022 is all those things, populated by our usual suspects of top 2022 TV as well as hours we couldn’t forget and shows we gladly binged in a weekend. There is drama, there is comedy, there is literal “Euphoria.” This list has it all. What it doesn’t have, however, is more than one episode from the same show, in an effort to spread the wealth.
Here are the best TV episodes of 2022 so far,...
The best episodes might be outstanding hours of shows that fluctuate in quality, or a pivotal character moment or story beat that contextualizes everything else. Sometimes the best episode is part of an almost embarrassing bounty — just one of many consistently brilliant installments in a TV show that blew away both audiences and critics.
IndieWire’s look at the best TV episodes of 2022 is all those things, populated by our usual suspects of top 2022 TV as well as hours we couldn’t forget and shows we gladly binged in a weekend. There is drama, there is comedy, there is literal “Euphoria.” This list has it all. What it doesn’t have, however, is more than one episode from the same show, in an effort to spread the wealth.
Here are the best TV episodes of 2022 so far,...
- 11/30/2022
- by Proma Khosla and Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Whether you’re chilling out before a costume party or working late at the lab (Halloween is a Monday this year), October 31 practically screams, “Watch something!”
Yes, there are myriad seasonal activities to be enjoyed away from the ghastly glow of your screens: be it bobbing for apples, carving jack-o-lanterns, summoning the undead, or an overpriced rideshare. But few experiences are as instantly and totally transporting as the ones provided by our go-to movies and TV shows. That’s why so many of us insist on sneaking in annual viewings of our favorites between social events and trick-or-treaters. No matter how scary busy our schedules may get, making time for the Halloween tales we cherish feels in some small way important.
Maybe you’re putting on your makeup to the familiar beats of “Beetlejuice” or working from home with “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” to keep you company.
Yes, there are myriad seasonal activities to be enjoyed away from the ghastly glow of your screens: be it bobbing for apples, carving jack-o-lanterns, summoning the undead, or an overpriced rideshare. But few experiences are as instantly and totally transporting as the ones provided by our go-to movies and TV shows. That’s why so many of us insist on sneaking in annual viewings of our favorites between social events and trick-or-treaters. No matter how scary busy our schedules may get, making time for the Halloween tales we cherish feels in some small way important.
Maybe you’re putting on your makeup to the familiar beats of “Beetlejuice” or working from home with “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” to keep you company.
- 10/31/2022
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
“House of the Dragon” is a hit, but what’s working and what’s not remains hotly contested among fans and critics alike. How is the show handling misogyny, violence, and wigs? Are the week-to-week plot twists as gripping as “Thrones'” before it? The show is pulling in a massive audience, but are we just going through the motions and watching the big buzzy show, or do we actually love it?
As Season 1 enters its second half, let’s look at the pros and cons of Episodes 1-6 to better assess how HBO’s latest juggernaut can get even better (and bigger?) from here. Episode 6 “The Princess and the Queen” jumps ahead more than any other so far, catching up with Alicent and Rhaenyra around 10 years after Episode 5, with the characters now played by Olivia Cooke and Emma D’Arcy. A lot has happened since Rhaenyra’s wedding, yet somehow not much at all.
As Season 1 enters its second half, let’s look at the pros and cons of Episodes 1-6 to better assess how HBO’s latest juggernaut can get even better (and bigger?) from here. Episode 6 “The Princess and the Queen” jumps ahead more than any other so far, catching up with Alicent and Rhaenyra around 10 years after Episode 5, with the characters now played by Olivia Cooke and Emma D’Arcy. A lot has happened since Rhaenyra’s wedding, yet somehow not much at all.
- 9/26/2022
- by Proma Khosla and Ben Travers
- Indiewire
As if. While the ‘90s may still be linked with a wide variety of dubious holdovers — including curious slang, questionable fashion choices, and sinister political agendas — many of the decade’s cultural contributions have cast an outsized shadow on the first stretch of the 21st century. Nowhere is that phenomenon more obvious or explicable than it is at the movies.
The ’90s began with a revolt against the kind of bland Hollywood product that people might kill to see in theaters today, creaking open a small window of time in which a more commercially viable American independent cinema began seeping into mainstream fare. Young and exciting directors, many of whom are now major auteurs and perennial IndieWire favorites, were given the resources to make multiple films — some of them on massive scales. Meanwhile, the industry establishment responded to the sudden influx of new talent by entrusting its biggest tentpoles to...
The ’90s began with a revolt against the kind of bland Hollywood product that people might kill to see in theaters today, creaking open a small window of time in which a more commercially viable American independent cinema began seeping into mainstream fare. Young and exciting directors, many of whom are now major auteurs and perennial IndieWire favorites, were given the resources to make multiple films — some of them on massive scales. Meanwhile, the industry establishment responded to the sudden influx of new talent by entrusting its biggest tentpoles to...
- 8/15/2022
- by David Ehrlich, Kate Erbland and Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
First Doja Cat has a crush on Joseph Quinn, and now the British-born actor is detained by U.S. Immigration. Is there any unexpected headline Quinn can’t make?
During his July 25 appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” the “Stranger Things” actor revealed he was “held up” by immigration while entering New York. That is, until the immigration officers recognized him as Eddie Munson from the hit Netflix series.
“I very nearly didn’t make it,” Quinn explained on “The Tonight Show.” “I was taken into, I guess what you could call it more of a dungeon. And I was asked to wait there for about 20 minutes and then I was summoned to this desk where someone asked me, ‘What are you doing in the United States, sir?'”
Quinn continued, “I said, ‘I’m actually here to meet Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show.”‘ And he didn’t believe me.
During his July 25 appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” the “Stranger Things” actor revealed he was “held up” by immigration while entering New York. That is, until the immigration officers recognized him as Eddie Munson from the hit Netflix series.
“I very nearly didn’t make it,” Quinn explained on “The Tonight Show.” “I was taken into, I guess what you could call it more of a dungeon. And I was asked to wait there for about 20 minutes and then I was summoned to this desk where someone asked me, ‘What are you doing in the United States, sir?'”
Quinn continued, “I said, ‘I’m actually here to meet Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show.”‘ And he didn’t believe me.
- 7/26/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The following contains super minor spoilers for “Thor: Love and Thunder.”
Ever since Tony Stark took up the mantle of Iron Man, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has boasted some of the most spectacular makeovers in the history of the superhero genre. Yes, constantly updating character costumes from big franchises is a surefire way to sell more T-shirts and toys. But it can also be an efficient manner of communicating seismic emotional shifts to an action-loving audience.
Over the years, the visual journeys of the Avengers and their foes have consistently met the sweeping scale of the epic movies in which they star. The best Marvel makeovers don’t just change the way someone looks. Instead, they inform that character’s story arc, accenting their victories and defeats, as well as reaffirming aspects of their unique identity. Inclusive representation has improved as the films have progressed, taking female heroes like Natasha Romanoff...
Ever since Tony Stark took up the mantle of Iron Man, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has boasted some of the most spectacular makeovers in the history of the superhero genre. Yes, constantly updating character costumes from big franchises is a surefire way to sell more T-shirts and toys. But it can also be an efficient manner of communicating seismic emotional shifts to an action-loving audience.
Over the years, the visual journeys of the Avengers and their foes have consistently met the sweeping scale of the epic movies in which they star. The best Marvel makeovers don’t just change the way someone looks. Instead, they inform that character’s story arc, accenting their victories and defeats, as well as reaffirming aspects of their unique identity. Inclusive representation has improved as the films have progressed, taking female heroes like Natasha Romanoff...
- 7/9/2022
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
[This post originally appeared as part of Recommendation Machine, IndieWire’s daily TV picks feature.]
Where to Watch ‘Trying’: Apple TV+
Maybe it’s trite to call couples a “team,” but if there’s one current TV couple that really earns such a description, it’s Jason Ross and Nikki Newman from the Apple TV+ series “Trying.” It makes sense, given how much of the show so far is based around the two making an attempt (few series sport a title as thesaurus-prompting as this one) to grow their family.
After finding out they can’t conceive on their own, Nikki and Jason begin the lengthy adoption process. Even against the stream of encounters with exes and roller-coaster news updates from their adoption liaison, “Trying” has its moorings in two people who keep finding ways back to each other. Rafe Spall and Esther Smith have such a playful onscreen chemistry that, along with the direction from Jim O’Hanlon...
Where to Watch ‘Trying’: Apple TV+
Maybe it’s trite to call couples a “team,” but if there’s one current TV couple that really earns such a description, it’s Jason Ross and Nikki Newman from the Apple TV+ series “Trying.” It makes sense, given how much of the show so far is based around the two making an attempt (few series sport a title as thesaurus-prompting as this one) to grow their family.
After finding out they can’t conceive on their own, Nikki and Jason begin the lengthy adoption process. Even against the stream of encounters with exes and roller-coaster news updates from their adoption liaison, “Trying” has its moorings in two people who keep finding ways back to each other. Rafe Spall and Esther Smith have such a playful onscreen chemistry that, along with the direction from Jim O’Hanlon...
- 10/17/2021
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Delia Harrington Nov 19, 2018
The backstory added to Nagini in Fantastic Beasts 2 recontextualizes the whole Potterverse... and not for the better.
This article contains Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald spoilers.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald gave a very human backstory to a creature long assumed to simply be a fantastic beast–Voldemort’s loyal snake Nagini. In the new movie, we meet Nagini as a twentysomething maledictus and Credence Barebone’s only friend as they’re trapped working in a magical circus in Paris circa 1927. In Fantastic Beasts 2, Claudia Kim portrays the character as empathetic and perceptive, as she tries to protect Credence at all costs and attempts to dissuade him standing by Grindelwald’s side. Yet by the very fact of her name, we know that in addition to the tragic fate of a maledictus, some contorted story awaits her to justify her eventual fervent loyalty to Lord Voldemort.
The backstory added to Nagini in Fantastic Beasts 2 recontextualizes the whole Potterverse... and not for the better.
This article contains Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald spoilers.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald gave a very human backstory to a creature long assumed to simply be a fantastic beast–Voldemort’s loyal snake Nagini. In the new movie, we meet Nagini as a twentysomething maledictus and Credence Barebone’s only friend as they’re trapped working in a magical circus in Paris circa 1927. In Fantastic Beasts 2, Claudia Kim portrays the character as empathetic and perceptive, as she tries to protect Credence at all costs and attempts to dissuade him standing by Grindelwald’s side. Yet by the very fact of her name, we know that in addition to the tragic fate of a maledictus, some contorted story awaits her to justify her eventual fervent loyalty to Lord Voldemort.
- 11/19/2018
- Den of Geek
Please welcome guest contributor Shannon Fox with a report from the all female screening of Wonder Woman at the Alamo Drafthouse.
Photo Credit: Proma Khosla/Mashable (Right to left: Stephanie Barnes, Annemarie Mancino, Shannon Fox)
Be careful.”
This was the general response by friends and family, both male and female, upon learning that I had secured tickets to the women-only Wonder Woman screening at my local Alamo Drafthouse. And, I mean, sure, we live in a scary world nowadays-- crazy things happen. But it’s a pretty atypical response to catching a flick, you know? I mean, I don’t know about you, but I usually hear “let me know if it’s any good” rather than “please don’t get murdered” when it comes to going to the movies.
But if that isn’t telling of the female experience in today’s society, I’m not sure what is.
Photo Credit: Proma Khosla/Mashable (Right to left: Stephanie Barnes, Annemarie Mancino, Shannon Fox)
Be careful.”
This was the general response by friends and family, both male and female, upon learning that I had secured tickets to the women-only Wonder Woman screening at my local Alamo Drafthouse. And, I mean, sure, we live in a scary world nowadays-- crazy things happen. But it’s a pretty atypical response to catching a flick, you know? I mean, I don’t know about you, but I usually hear “let me know if it’s any good” rather than “please don’t get murdered” when it comes to going to the movies.
But if that isn’t telling of the female experience in today’s society, I’m not sure what is.
- 6/6/2017
- by GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
- FilmExperience
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