News Around the Net!
UPDATED: Unfortunately I have to open with the just awful news that Jessica Walter has passed away. Her work as Lucille Bluth on Arrested Development stands among the very best comedic TV performances ever. Click here for some sweet tributes from her friends and co-workers.
This is a beautifully put-together new trailer for In the Heights, coming out on June 18:
And, oh wait, they also released another trailer, that is also fantastic…!
I want to see that film RIGHT NOW!!
I’m excited that a new TV show from Mike Schur is coming soon! It’s called Rutherford Falls, and here’s a trailer:
Mike Schur + small town was magic in Parks and Rec. Will that be the case here, too? I hope so. (The only down side for me is that this will be on Peacock, and I’m not currently planning to add that to the list of the ten billion streaming services I already have… sigh!!)
This is an interesting interview with Kevin Smith and Malcolm Ingram, discussing Mr. Ingram’s documentary, Clerk, about Mr. Smith and his career. I used to be a huge fan of Mr. Smith’s films — I still think he’s a great storyteller, though it’s been years since I’ve really loved one of his films. I am, though, for sure interested in seeing Clerk when it’s available…
This is exciting! Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman are working on a new World War II-set mini-series, following up on Band of Brothers (one of my all-time favorite things; I consider this required viewing every few years) and The Pacific. It will be called Masters of the Air, and it’s being made for Apple TV+. I have high hopes for this!
I’m surprised and delighted that Genndy Tartakovsky’s wonderful Clone Wars animated shorts will be coming to Disney+ in April! These 2-D animated shorts were created between 2003-2005, and were set between Episode II and Episode III. They were bumped out of continuity by the later CGI animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series, but I’ve always loved Mr. Tartakovsky’s original shorts. My DVDs of them are much-watched. I’m hoping Disney+ will be streaming these in HD!
Wowsers: The Simpsons has reached 700 episodes. That is just madness.
Click here to read a nice look back at the Wachowski’s film adaptation of V For Vendetta, on the occasion of its 15th anniversary. The original comic book series, by Alan Moore and David Lloyd, is a masterpiece, and I’ve always had a fond place in my heart for the film. Natalie Portman is fantastic. It might be time of a rewatch of this, when I can find the time…!
I’m sad to read that Yaphet Kotto has passed away. Mr. Kotto was a phenomenal actor whose work I loved in Alien, Live and Let Die, Raid on Entebbe, and so many other projects.
Click here for a wonderful interview with Nicholas Meyer, who is one of my favorite writers/directors. He’s responsible for some of my all-time favorite Star Trek ever made (specifically, he wrote and directed Star Trek II and Star Trek VI, and he wrote all of the 20th-century-set stuff in Star Trek IV).
I’m intrigued by what I’m reading about the in-process Monsters, Inc. animated series, called Monsters at Work. The cast looks great. I hope this is good!
This is interesting — Promising Young Woman writer/director Emerald Fennell has been hired to write a Zatanna film for Warner Brothers. I like the Zatanna character (she’s a great supporting character from the Batman mythos) and think she could be a great main character in a film.
I am excited that the Black Widow film finally looks like it’s coming out — on July 9th to theaters and, thank heaven, to Disney+. That’s fantastic news. I can’t wait to see it.
Click here to purchase my “Maclunkey” Star Wars/Highlander mash-up t-shirt!
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