With six previous movies, the franchise has gone on to gross over $900 million at the box office. The latest installment, ‘Scream 7‘, once again stars Campbell and Cox, and opens in theaters on February 27th.
In honor of the new film, Moviefone is counting down every ‘Scream’ movie ever made from worst to best, including the latest.
(L to R) Parker Posey and Courteney Cox Arquette in ‘Scream 3’. Photo: Dimension Films.
As bodies begin dropping around the Hollywood set of STAB 3, the third film based on the gruesome Woodsboro killings, Sidney (Neve Campbell) and other survivors are once again terrorized by another Ghostface killer.
Hayden Panettiere in ‘Scream 4’. Photo: Dimension Films.
Ten years after the original Woodsboro murders, one of the survivors returns home to promote their new book about surviving trauma, only for a new Ghostface killer to emerge, targeting a new group of teens.
Courteney Cox stars in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Scream 7.’
When a new Ghostface killer emerges in the quiet town where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has built a new life, her darkest fears are realized as her daughter becomes the next target. Determined to protect her family, Sidney must face the horrors of her past to put an end to the bloodshed once and for all.
Neve Campbell (“Sidney Prescott”) stars in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s “Scream.”
Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.
rIvyeDc2vhvbAOxRqYyXU7
2. ‘Scream 2’ (1997)
Sarah Michelle Gellar in ‘Scream 2’. Photo: Dimension Films.
Two years after the Woodsboro murders, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) acclimates to college life while someone donning the Ghostface costume begins a new string of killings.
Drew Barrymore in ‘Scream’. Photo: Dimension Films.
A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl (Neve Campbell) is terrorized by a masked killer who targets her and her friends by using scary movies as part of a deadly game.
Brie Larson, Lily Collins, Jack Quaid and Henry Golding are aboard’ Close Personal Friends’.
Jason Orley is in the director’s chair.
The plot revolves around a celebrity couple.
It feels like we sometimes don’t see enough original movies that cast a bunch of capable people and looks to spin a well-used concept into something fresh.
While much of the movie is being kept quiet ahead of the shoot, but the Reporter has learned that on one couple that meets and befriends a celebrity couple while on a trip to Santa Barbara. Personal lines get crossed, among other things, and awkward hilarity ensues.
Orley co-wrote the story with Isaac Aptaker, with the latter penning the script. Aptaker is producing with Elizabeth Berger, his partner at Walk-Up Company, along with Maximum Effort’s Ashley Fox and Johnny Pariseau.
Where else can we see Brie Larson and the rest?
Lily Collins attends the red carpet for ‘Emily in Paris’ Season 4. Photo: Valentin Lecron / Netflix.
Larson most recently popped up as the latest member of the sprawling Fak family to be introduced on ‘The Bear’.
Coming up, she has a couple of TV series in development, including ‘Cry Wolf’ (which co-stars Olivia Colman) and a spy thriller that has yet to release its title.
Collins can currently be seen starring in Netflix romantic comedy series ‘Emily in Paris’, which has a fifth season on the way.
She’s also attached to a thriller called ‘Titan’ and has worked on new drama pic ‘Halo of Stars’.
When will ‘Close Personal Friends’ be in theaters?
Even with a shoot scheduled, Amazon MGM is playing this one by ear and has yet to announce a release date or even whether the movie will play in theaters or head straight to Prime Video?
Jack Quaid as “Nate” in ‘Novocaine’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Jack Quaid as “Nate” in ‘Novocaine’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
‘Novocaine’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
Opening in theaters on March 14th, ‘Novocaine’ takes the concept of a man who can feel no pain and applies it to ‘John Wick’-style action madness with a healthy dollop of comedy stirred in.
Directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen wrangle the chaos here, while star Jack Quaid brings his customary nerdy charisma to the main character of Nathan Caine.
Jack Quaid as “Nate” in ‘Novocaine’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
‘Novocaine’ certainly has the benefit of an appealing lead performance from Jack Quaid, who convinces as a man who has had to live a mostly sheltered, somewhat lonely life because, as he explains, his inability to feel pain or certain other sensations has led to him being in mortal danger –– even from eating a piece of pie, as he could bite his own tongue off.
As a whole, the movie finds an amusing gear, blending the action which, while it never hits the highs of, say, a ‘John Wick’ is definitely fun to watch –– well, “fun” might be a somewhat subjective word when the comic brutality ramps up and hands are being plunged into deep fat fryers or bones are exposed from wrists.
Script and Direction
Jack Quaid as “Nate” in ‘Novocaine’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Lars Jacobson wrote the script for the new movie, and his experience in both horror and thrillers comes into play here. He’s crafted a convincing world for the main character and the movie spends time early on properly having us get to know Nathan Caine before the story kicks in.
The screenplay also conjures up a solid character for Amber Midthunder’s Sherry, with the young bank clerk serving as more than just a bland love interest. While the other characters are primarily either cops or robbers, everyone has a little moment to shine, especially lead thief Simon (Ray Nicholson).
If there’s one big issue with the screenplay (and the movie made from it), it’s outstaying its welcome, running longer than the plot really requires or can support and essentially turning one of its characters (not Nathan) into a Michael Myers/Jason Voorhees/Terminator type who can seemingly be seriously injured but keep on getting up.
Directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, meanwhile, find the right tone for the movie, dialing in on character work before the craziness of the plot takes over and it becomes more of a suspenseful chase (albeit with the comedy still intact).
Cast and Performances
Jack Quaid as “Nate” in ‘Novocaine’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
‘Novocaine’s casting is certainly on point, and while not all the roles are (or even can be) as satisfying as the lead pair, they have the benefit of a solid ensemble bringing them to life.
Jack Quaid is our hero, and with the actor having shown different sides of a similar coin via ‘The Boys’ and this year’s excellent A.I. thriller ‘Companion,’ he’s on a good run of late. He’s completely convincing as someone whose unique condition has led to him living a quiet life, but who is essentially good in nature and yearns to find the sort of love that his favorite customer at the bank lived.
Quaid (along with the stunt team) also handles the stunts well, bringing his gawky, lanky frame to bear particularly when Nathan has to pretend that a moment of torture is truly hurting him.
(L to R) Amber Midthunder as “Sherry” and Jack Quaid as “Nate” in ‘Novocaine’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
As Sherry, ‘Prey’s Amber Midthunder puts in another great performance, bringing all sides of Sherry to the screens and displaying solid chemistry with Quaid. While her role is somewhat sidelined during the bank robbery until slightly later in the film, she makes a meal of every scene she’s in.
Jacob Batalon, probably best known for the recent ‘Spider-Man’ movies, is playing a similar role here as Roscoe, Nathan’s online gaming buddy (they’ve never met in real life, which means Roscoe has told him all sorts of white lies about his height, his hair, his ride etc.) who shows up when Nathan is in dire straits.
Batalon is charming and funny in the role, and while the character isn’t a million miles away from his Spidey work, it’s certainly something the actor knows how to do well.
Playing Simon, the twitchy, violent leader of the bank robbers, Ray Nicholson notches up another fun role in a group that has already seen him playing a grinning ghoul in last year’s ‘Smile 2’ and –– in the same weekend as ‘Novocaine’s release, no less –– an obsessive stalker in ‘Borderline.’
Jack Quaid as “Nate” in ‘Novocaine’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Nicholson feeds his intense energy well into Simon, and if he’s sometimes one-note as a character, the actor makes him watchable.
On the robbers’ case are cops Mincy and Coltraine, played by ‘Get Out’s Betty Gabriel and comedy stalwart Matt Walsh (you’ll recall him from a hundred things, but notably TV’s ‘Veep.’)
While the parts are necessarily smaller by design, both the performers make them work, Mincy coming across as committed and tough, Coltraine offering the comic relief side.
Finally, making an impression in just a couple of things is Lou Beatty Jr., who appears as Earl, a friendly customer of Nathan’s at the bank who is recently widowed and worried that he’ll lose his hardware store and house. Earl is the initial beating heart of the film, and Beatty Jr. also gets to have some fun when Nathan shows up injured from his initial encounter with the robbers and goes about some unorthodox and slightly gross surgery.
Final Thoughts
Jack Quaid as “Nate” in ‘Novocaine’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
‘Novocaine’ might not have the impact of a ‘John Wick’ or anything directed by David Leitch, but it holds its own with the blend of comedy and stunt work.
It’s definitely not painful to watch.
cGouFkCnJWMd3dJbtwomp1
What’s the plot of ‘Novocaine’?
Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid) is a mild-mannered introvert with a rare disorder, congenital insensitivity to pain (CIP), who must rescue the girl of his dreams who has been taken hostage in a bank robbery.
Jack Quaid as Josh in ‘Companion’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
The feature debut of writer and director Drew Hancock, ‘Companion’ is a sci-fi satire with a seasoning of horror and a sharp edge of social criticism. Set in a near future that’s not too far removed from our own present day, the story touches on dysfunctional relationships, the nature of consciousness, issues of control, toxic masculinity, and modern-day alienation, all wrapped up in one tightly-written 100-minute package.
Our advice? Skip the latest trailer for the movie, which gives away one major plot twist that, even though it occurs relatively early in the movie, abruptly and wholeheartedly changes the fabric and genre of the film. We’ll try to write around it here, although it may be difficult and you might find some arguable spoilers ahead. But even if you know or guess that reveal, there are still others in the film that keep it suspenseful, invigorating, often funny, and sometimes horrifying. Either way, ‘Companion’ is a clever genre mash-up that keeps solid control of its tone and thematic undercurrents almost all the way to the end.
“There have been two moments in my life when I was happiest. The first was the day I met Josh.” So says Iris (Sophie Thatcher) as ‘Companion’ opens on their meet-cute in a supermarket. Iris is poised, beautiful, a bit timeless; Josh (Jack Quaid) is awkward, yet seemingly warm and funny. Iris also describes the second happiest moment in her life – but we’ll leave that out for now.
Cut to the now happy, loving pair cruising in their self-driving car to an isolated lake house, where they join two other couples: the sarcastic Eli (Harvey Guillén) and gentle Patrick (Lukas Gage), and the more caustic Kat (Megan Suri) and Sergey (Rupert Friend), the latter a rather shady, solicitous Russian who happens to own the house – and treats Kat as just another possession, according to her. Iris, meanwhile, is positive that Kat hates her and even asks her why during a moment alone. “Because you make me feel replaceable,” Kat says, her words more pregnant with meaning than they might seem at first.
After their first night of partying and drinking, the next morning sees one houseguest subjected to an unwanted, overly aggressive advance – which then leads to bloodshed. And that in turn leads to the first big twist of ‘Companion,’ which – as we noted earlier – has already been telegraphed in the film’s trailer and marketing. It establishes a plot conceit that isn’t exactly original – it’s been used in plenty of films and TV shows before – but develops it in a way that slyly says something about relationships and gender dynamics today that is both hilarious and depressingly true.
That first major reveal, however, is not the whole of the story. From that point, ‘Companion’ turns into a combination of crime, farce, and sci-fi thriller as more twists are revealed, including the reason why everyone has assembled at Sergey’s peaceful house in the first place and what some members of the group have been hiding from others. That leads to complication upon complication, as the situation grows even more bizarre and each potential solution to the problem leads to more disastrous consequences. By the time we get to the end – kind of a funnier take on the close of an Alex Garland film – no one and nothing is left undamaged.
‘Companion’ perhaps labors a bit toward that ending, and there are certain plot and motivational holes that come to the surface the more you think about them, but that’s a minor distraction at best. Another minor quibble is that, while Hrishikesh Hirway’s original score – an eerie play on strings and female vocals that echoes ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ – and Hancock’s needle drops are on the money, the latter are deployed perhaps one or two times too often, leading to an aural predictability that feels a little manipulative. Nevertheless, the song cues for the most part evoke a dreamy mix of nostalgia and folk horror that provide a terrific counterpart to the vicious onscreen action.
And make no mistake, it’s vicious, all right, as is the futuristic critique of certain social and gender dynamics that are increasingly present in the real world. “The world is rigged against people like me,” rages one character toward the end, and while they may be right in some ways, their anger and frustration are taken out in the entirely wrong direction. ‘Companion’ has a whole lot going on under the surface about relationships, love, self-identity, and self-worth, and how all those things can be poisoned and perverted by the technological tools made available to us.
The Cast
(L to R) Lukas Gage and Sophie Thatcher as Iris in ‘Companion’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Sophie Thatcher delivered a striking performance late last year in ‘Heretic,’ and she’s impressed us as well in ‘Yellowjackets’ and others. As Iris, she initially evokes a kind of timeless, throwback beauty and a beguiling sense of a woman fully open to the idea of love and pleasing someone else – until those ideas are all upended by what happens to her. Iris goes on a voyage of self-discovery that’s not always in her control, and Thatcher handles the character’s evolution with subtlety and a growing sense of outrage that portends more for both her and the world of the film. It’s terrific work from this rising young actor.
Jack Quaid is already a genre favorite thanks to his lead roles on ‘The Boys’ and ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks,’ making his mark in both with characters that start out on the back foot and eventually find their way toward something resembling confidence in themselves. His character here, Josh, is revealed here in layers, each one peeling off to expose an increasingly complicated man whose view of the world is ultimately transactional and dark. Drew Hancock’s excellent script gives him and Thatcher a lot to work with, and even the supporting players – especially Harvey Guillén (‘What We Do in the Shadows’), Lukas Gage (‘Smile 2’), and Megan Suri (‘It Lives Inside’) — get their moments to shine.
Hopefully we’ve managed to get through this review without spoiling ‘Companion’ for you, for while it does touch on issues and concepts that aren’t new, it remixes them in a way that is best experienced without knowing much going in. And it lands its themes without hitting the viewer over the head with them, subtly leaving certain questions unanswered while still taking the viewer on a twisty, entertaining, morbidly funny ride.
‘Companion,’ while tackling different ideas, might pair well with ‘It’s What’s Inside,’ the overlooked sci-fi thriller from last year that also threw six friends into a situation where modern technology and social behavior toss all of them into complete emotional and psychological turmoil. There are notions about sex, control, and maturity that crop up in both, and while the latter film was a bit over-stylized in some ways, ‘Companion’ has an uncluttered directorial and writing style that bodes well for Drew Hancock’s future in feature films. ‘Companion’ has a lot on its mind, but skillfully presents Hancock’s argument in a lively genre mash-up that’s thoroughly satisfying.
CgiPlY8CxhdhIYTg1fIPs2
What is the plot of ‘Companion’?
Josh (Jack Quaid) and Iris (Sophie Thatcher) join four other friends at a remote lakeside cabin for a weekend of fun and relaxation. But things quickly take a bad turn, leading to shocking revelations about who Josh and Iris really are and what their relationship is based on.
‘The Boys’ are back, and they’re not pulling any punches. The series returns on Prime Video on June 14 with a 3-episode premiere. Tensions are high as Victoria Neuman inches closer to becoming the Vice President. The Boys’ team morale is fractured as the gang becomes tired of Butcher’s deceits and lies. On top of it all, Homelander now has Becca’s son Ryan under his influence, and Butcher must do whatever it takes to get Ryan away from him.
Related Article: Antony Starr and Chace Crawford Talk ‘The Boys’ Season 4 and The Seven
Initial Thoughts
The story and its characters continues to wow in season 4, with ‘The Boys’, deeply exploring each character’s past and face the consequences of their past decisions. While the first couple of episodes moved a bit slow, the series does ramps up with shocking reveals in later episodes. This season merges a major storyline from spin-off series ‘Gen V’ into the series, and adds a new threat to both supes and humans alike. It’s easy to see why the series continues to gain so much attention and is renewed for a fifth season.
Just as in previous seasons, each episode is filled with an outrageous amount of gore and shocking reveals. In this season, the story focuses on facing the past, as well as one’s own mortality. For Billy Butcher, the consequences of taking temp V have caught up with him. With merely months to live, Butcher re-examines his past decisions and actions when it comes to how he treated Ryan, who is now under the watchful eye of Homelander. Although rare, it’s not the first time Butcher has had a soft spot for someone in his life. When it comes to Ryan, Butcher feels more of an attachment because he’s the last connection Butcher has to his late wife, Becca, and his actions feel more genuine rather than self-serving.
Butcher isn’t the only one facing mortality. This season also sees Homelander confronting the issue from the lens of an all-powerful and essentially indestructible superhero. There are moments where you sympathize with what Homelander is feeling and how lonely he actually is in all of this, though those moments are brief as he goes right back to doing the next terrible thing.
Erin Moriarty’s Starlight takes ownership of her own identity this season, leaving behind her super suit and superhero name. Now going by her real name, Annie January is hard at work to expose Vought but crumbles under pressure when something from her past is brought to light. This season has been the best development for Annie and perhaps the most vulnerable we’ve seen her yet.
Aside from exploring mortality and characters’ pasts, this season introduces a couple of new members of The Seven: Firecracker (Valorie Curry) and Sister Sage (Susan Heyward), who are not afraid to make waves within The Seven.
There is a lot going on in this season, but it doesn’t ever feel convoluted. Every character gets their fair share of screen time, fully explored, and there are still plenty of action and carnage that we all know and love.
‘The Boys’ spin-off series ‘Gen V’ premiered in September of 2023, fleshing out and expanding the world of ‘The Boys’. Aside from the up-and-coming superhero hopefuls, ‘Gen V’ delves further into Vought’s history and introduces a dangerous virus that can kill the supes. With cameos from a couple of notable characters of ‘The Boys,’ it makes sense that in this season, we see some ‘Gen V’ characters make their own crossover appearances.
As seen in this season’s trailer, Sam and Cate make a cameo, connecting the storyline from ‘Gen V’ to ‘The Boys’. However, this does not mean viewers need to binge the spin-off series (though they should). What has been great about both series is that they explain the backstory without the need for an exposition scene or narrative, and usually, it’s concise and to the point.
This season is filled with the most character growth and arcs yet, which is wild to say because the show has always done a great job exploring and developing its characters. Despite a slightly slow start, the series ramps up and gets more intense with each episode.
Although the focus is on Victoria Neuman’s potential rise to presidency, the series continues to explore and flesh out its characters. This season focuses on certain characters’ mortality, and it’s been interesting to see how each character reacts.
The series continues to surprise and awe. Whether it’s plot twists, carnage, or suped-up farm animals, it keeps its viewers on their toes.
‘The Boys’ season 4 receives 8 out of 10 stars.
5CUhHYbOdnsr7lEuqGxfg2
What Is The Plot Of ‘The Boys’?
In Season 4, the world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander (Antony Starr), who is consolidating his power. Butcher (Karl Urban), with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son as well as his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late.
Premiering on June 13th, Prime Video’s hit superhero series ‘The Boys’ is back for another explosive fourth season. ‘The Boys’ is based on The New York Times best-selling comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, who also serve as executive producers and developed by executive producer and showrunner Eric Kripke.
(L to R) Chace Crawford and Antony Starr talk ‘The Boys’ season 4.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Antony Starr and Chace Crawford about season 4 of ‘The Boys’, Homelander’s exploration into mortality and fatherhood, The Deep’s new outlook on life, and the hierarchy within The Seven.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Starr and Crawford, Erin Moriarty, Claudia Doumit, Karen Fukuyama and showrunner Eric Kripke.
Moviefone: Antony, this season deals a lot with the past, and with Homelander specifically, he’s dealing with having to face his own mortality and fatherhood. What has it been like for you to deep dive into that part of the character for the season?
Antony Starr: Honestly, as a non-parent, it was great. I get to go into parenting without dealing with the responsibility of having a kid. I think season 4 started somewhere midway through season three with the idea of mortality and everything that comes along with that. That naturally led to legacy, which is where we pick up in season 4, and that’s all about fatherhood and familial relationship. But I don’t think Homelander is equipped. He just doesn’t understand how that actually works. Loves the idea of it, but he just doesn’t know how to make it function, which is arguably true of many people. I keep saying if you want to look at your present, look at your past. If you want to look at your future, look at your present, right? So the future is Ryan, and the present is him. The past is where we go in episode four, and that is all in order to make himself a better father in his eyes for Ryan, which is a very selfish move, actually. It’s about his legacy. But he does love the kid, so there’s that.
MF: Chase, in this season The Deep gets some words of encouragement from Sage, a new member of The Seven, and after that he finds the courage to speak up. What is something about this season that you’re excited to explore for The Deep?
Chase Crawford: It was exactly what you just mentioned, to be honest. I mean, Sage obviously has super intelligence, hyper intelligence, and she knows how to play 4D chess, and she’s manipulating him a little bit. But I do think it’s funny that any compliment he takes, he’s like, “Thank you.” He really takes it to heart. It means a lot to him if someone, especially another superhero, and then of course, he’s attracted to her after that. Just a sucker for flattery. But I do like that he’s testing the bounds of his emotional world and sort of taking it out on other people. It just makes it interesting that he’s leaning into a bit of what Homelander leans into and being aggressive, and liking it in a way and really saying, “I’ve already done this thing. I’ve already done murders. I’m doing everything.” It’s ridiculous what he’s willing to do for Homelander, but it’s been fun to explore a new dimension of The Deep and also his relationship.
MF: Finally, Antony, can you talk about the hierarchy within The Seven and each of their motivations?
AS: It’s such a hierarchy in The Seven, everyone’s trying to ascend. It’s like a wolf pack constantly trying to get over each other. I’m always curious about the motives of the characters on this show because I think it’s always blurred. But I think it’s really interesting that all the superheroes are really self-motivated, and all the anarchists, per se, are really doing something. They’re really altruistic, and they want to do something for the masses, except Butcher, who’s a serial killer who wants to kill me because he thinks I did something that I didn’t do.
5CUhHYbOdnsr7lEuqGxfg2
What Is The Plot Of ‘The Boys’?
In Season 4, the world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander (Antony Starr), who is consolidating his power. Butcher (Karl Urban), with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son as well as his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late.
The first teaser for ‘The Boys’ Season 4 is online.
It’ll be set shortly after events of spin-off ‘Gen V’.
‘The Boys’ returns in 2024.
‘The Boys’ universe continues to expand ever outwards, with recent college-set spin-off ‘Gen V’ successfully ending its first season (and already renewed for a second), animated series ‘Diabolical’ out in the world and a potential new spin-off set in Mexico in very early development (with Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal attached to produce and potentially take small roles).
But we know that fans are eager to know what’s going on with Billy Butcher, Homelander and the rest. So now we have a look at the sort of madness we can expect via the first teaser for ‘The Boys’ next season.
Antony Starr as John Gillman / Homelander in Prime Video’s ‘The Boys’ season 4. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
In Season Four, the world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander, who is consolidating his power. Butcher, with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son as well as his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late.
Who is in ‘The Boys’ Season 4?
Karl Urban as Billy Butcher in Prime Video’s ‘The Boys’ season 4. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Susan Heyward as Sister Sage in Prime Video’s ‘The Boys’ season 4. Supersuit Designer: Laura Jean Shannon. Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
For those who have yet to see the first season finale of ‘Gen V’, a quick spoiler alert!
Otherwise, carry on to read what series overseer Eric Kripke had to say to Variety about the links between the ‘Gen V’ season finale and the fourth season of the main series:
“For Butcher, by the time they were making the finale, we were pretty deep into breaking Season 4. We knew that we wanted that virus to be a pretty big part of Season 4, and we knew that we wanted Butcher to be aware of it. It seems crazy that he wouldn’t be aware of it. It became kind of tricky, because how do we show that he knows about it without it just being dialogue? This idea came up that it probably shouldn’t even happen in The Boys, it should happen in Gen V. The value of having the [two shows’ writers] rooms be in coordination is, our room took it to Michele and her room and said, ‘Can we put Butcher in the end, so we can show that he’s really hot on the tail of the virus?’ It was really cool because it does a nice little preamble to what’s coming next. And Karl and Ant both were willing to come in on their days off to go work on the other show. But the Homelander part was Michele’s team.”
When will ‘The Boys’ be back on our TV screens?
According to Prime Video, ‘The Boys’ doesn’t have a locked in return date, but that it will be on screens next year.
Valorie Curry as Firecracker in Prime Video’s ‘The Boys’ season 4. Supersuit Designer: Laura Jean Shannon. Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Christopher Nolan has crafted another masterpiece with an epic historical biopic that is as captivating as it is compelling. What begins as a character study eventually unfolds into an intriguing political mystery with unexpected twists and turns. Cillian Murphy gives the performance of his career as the conflicted and complicated J. Robert Oppenheimer, while Robert Downey Jr. also gives one of his finest performances to date as Lewis Strauss, Oppenheimer’s eventual adversary.
Story and Direction
Writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of ‘Oppenheimer.’
The three-hour long movie tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer from his early years studying physics in Germany, to eventually being recruited by the U.S. government to work on the Manhattan Project and the aftermath of the creation of the Atomic bomb. The story is mostly told in flashbacks from both Oppenheimer and Lewis Strauss’ points of views. Oppenheimer is defending his actions following WWII in a secret government meeting, while Strauss is addressing a Senate committee as he has been appointed to a cabinet position. We see the events as they unfold as memories for both characters, with Strauss’ in black and white, and Oppenheimer’s depicted in color, which also represents the characters personalities as Strauss sees the world in black and white while Oppenheimer sees bright colors.
Christopher Nolan is unarguably one of the most celebrated filmmakers of his generation and is known for making twisty movies like ‘Memento’ and ‘Inception,’ as well as historical documents like ‘Dunkirk,’ but ‘Oppenheimer’ excels because it does both at the same time and embraces everything Nolan does well. Nolan’s script is smart, cutting back and forth between both Oppenheimer and Strauss’ hearings and their individual flashbacks, and using that to frame the story of creating the Atom bomb. But the movie is also a political thriller, and has a ‘Usual Suspects’ level twist towards the end that you won’t see coming.
Nolan sets an epic tone for the film, which is grand in scope and design, and he gets the very best out of his ensemble cast. Nolan’s use of cutaways to visual effects of atoms, molecules, fire and stars representing thoughts running through Oppenheimer’s head were interesting but thankfully used sparingly. While the film is long at just about three-hours, it goes fast and Nolan uses the most of his time setting the stakes for the drama and allowing his cast room to breathe. The movie also looks gorgeous, thanks to Nolan and the work of cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema.
Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer
Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
Cillian Murphy is best known for playing the Scarecrow in Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight’ movies and hasn’t really had the chance to show off his talents until now. As the title character Murphy delivers a strong and layered performance with authority that gives the movie a feeling of importance and urgency. Oppenheimer is driven, egotistical, brilliant, self-absorbed and conflicted, and Murphy conveys all of this with very little effort, giving a seamless performance. This is definitely the actors best work, and I would be surprised if he doesn’t get a lot of attention come awards season.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Performance
Robert Downey Jr is Lewis Strauss in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
Robert Downey Jr. is one of the most popular actors of his generation, but after a decade of playing Iron Man, it’s easy to forget just how good a dramatic actor he is and this movie helps remind us of that. Despite the title, ‘Oppenheimer’ is almost as much Downey’s movie as it is Murphy’s, and the actor completely holds his own narrative well. While the two actors share few scenes together and Downey’s role is supporting, his character is pivotal to the story and the true antagonist of the film. In a career as impressive as Downey’s, it’s hard to say this is his best performance, but it’s certainly on the short list, and I’m starting the campaign now for Downey to get nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
Supporting Cast
Matt Damon is Leslie Groves in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
Nolan has always assembled incredible casts of actors for his projects, but the abundance of riches here is a bit embarrassing. The movie stars a who’s who of talented actors, and I of course can’t mention all of them, but I will say Matt Damon stands out. Damon plays Leslie Groves, the General that recruited Oppenheimer. The actor plays the role with a bit of his signature charm, which fits the otherwise serious military figure well. Damon also has good chemistry with Murphy, and the two characters forge a nice friendship together.
Surprisingly, Josh Hartnett, who’s been away from the big screen for some time makes a fantastic comeback as Ernest Lawrence, one of Oppenheimer’s colleagues. Hartnett gives a really strong performance opposite Murphy and is a wonderful addition to the cast. Benny Safdie and David Krumholtz also play colleagues of Oppenheimer and both actors bring a lot to their characters as well.
Josh Hartnett is Ernest Lawrence in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
Florence Pugh also stands out and gives a very daring performance as Jean Tatlock, Oppenheimer’s first love. Pugh’s character is sweet and vulnerable, and you understand why he falls in love with her in the first place. But their story is also tragic, and Pugh’s tender performance gives her character a real voice in the movie.
Unfortunately, Emily Blunt’s performance as Oppenheimer’s wife, Kitty, did not work for me. The character was not as well-defined in the script as Jean, and while Blunt is a great actress and did her best in the role, her performance falls flat with her limited screen time. The chemistry between Oppenheimer and Kitty never quite works, especially in comparison to his relationship with Jean, but perhaps that was the point.
Emily Blunt is Kitty Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
(L to R) Emily Blunt is Kitty Oppenheimer and Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
I would imagine that this film will be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars next year. I’d be surprised if Nolan doesn’t get nominated as well for both Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Depending on how the rest of the year shapes up, he’ll probably walk away with at least one of those awards. Nolan’s been nominated five times before and never won, and right now, this seems like the movie and the year where he might actually win.
I think Cillian Murphy has a great chance of being nominated for Best Actor, and certainly deserves it, but I’m really hoping that Robert Downey Jr. is rewarded for his incredible performance here, as well as his overall body of work. Florence Pugh also has a chance at a Best Supporting Actress nomination, but that will really rely on who the rest of the competition will be. I would also imagine the film will receive several technical nominations as well as cinematography for Hoyte van Hoytema.
Final Thoughts
In the end, ‘Oppenheimer’ is another Christopher Nolan masterpiece. A movie that works both as a compelling historical biopic, and an intriguing political thriller with brilliant performances from Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr.
‘Oppenheimer’ received 9.5 out of 10 stars
(L to R) Cillian Murphy (as J. Robert Oppenheimer) and writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of ‘Oppenheimer.’
Anson Mount as Pike in ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo: Michael Gibson/Paramount+.
Returning to Paramount+ on June 15th, the second season of ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ continues the strong storytelling and adventure-of-the-week style that made the first season work.
It’s a welcome return for Anson Mount’s Captain Christopher Pike and the rest of the crew, who find themselves once more confronting some classic science fiction concepts while also bonding as a unit.
Ethan Peck as Spock in season 2 of ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo: Michael Gibson/Paramount+.
What’s the story of ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?
Space…. The final frontier. Yes, the familiar refrain from the start of the original ‘Star Trek’ continues to define this latest take on the franchise. It’s the continuing mission of the Starship Enterprise as it explores the titular strange new worlds, seeks out new life and new civilizations and all that boldly going stuff we all know so well.
For its second season, the show continues the blend of serialization and episodic adventures that worked in last year’s first run of episodes. Initially, it picks up a couple of the threads left dangling from the end of Season 1 –– Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) taking leave from the ship to help a young survivor of the Gorn attacks find her family, and Starfleet prosecuting First Officer Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn) for hiding her genetically enhanced nature.
Once those are dealt with, it’s on to the familiar, effective mix of continuing character arcs and new science fiction adventures, including Spock (Ethan Peck) having to deal with a tricky Vulcan ritual involving his potential in-laws while in an even trickier state, Noonien-Singh involved in a time travel adventure, Pike, Doctor M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) and their landing party stranded on a planet where memories are wiped every night and Ensign Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) in contact with aliens that communicate via dreams and symbolism.
Celia Rose Gooding as Uhura in season 2 of ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo: Michael Gibson/Paramount+.
Who else appears in ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’?
(L to R) Christina Chong as La’an and Paul Wesley as Kirk in season 2 of ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo: Michael Gibson/Paramount+.
Is ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ worth watching?
Live-action ‘Star Trek’ in the current TV has been led by the moody and serious ‘Discovery’, which, while it does have its flashes of humor, is much more focused on the drama side. ‘Star Trek Picard’ managed to find its footing in terms of blending laughs and action in its third season, but it is ‘Strange New Worlds’ that has emerged as the champion of blending an old-school ‘Trek’ feel with a more contemporary storytelling style.
Partly it all works so well because of the casting –– this is a crew that you truly believe actually wants to spend time together, and that transfers over on to the viewing experience. These are people you’d be happy to just hang out with, even if they weren’t also dealing with exciting space adventures.
Anson Mount as Capt. Pike in ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo: Michael Gibson/Paramount+.
Mount continues to play Pike with a winning mix of gravitas and relatability –– when he’s not barking orders, he’s cooking or spending time with fellow captain Batel (Scrofano), a model of how to act as a grown up in a relationship you almost wish the future Captain Kirk had been taking notes on.
Peck’s Spock is still a strong, worthy take on the iconic character, the actor able to play all the different shades. If the romantic connection with Bush’s Nurse Chapel isn’t always as authentic as the show wants us to believe, it doesn’t, at least, harm either character. And he’s also part of a comic highlight of the season to date.
Rebecca Romijn as Una in ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ season 2, streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo: Michael Gibson/Paramount+.
Around them, the rest of the cast continues to excel. Some of the characters who had spotlights last season take something of a back seat here (it’s surely not spoiling anything to relate that Number One’s trial ends favorably, but after that she has a little less to do), but the sharing of airtime is a welcome one, giving some of the junior officers more to do.
New this year is star of stage and screen Carol Kane, who slots in perfectly as new, alien chief engineer Pelia. A being with a startlingly long lifespan, a unique attitude to life in Starfleet and an unusual manner about her feels like it was written for Kane to portray. The only downside is we don’t get to have her interact with the rest of the crew nearly enough, at least in the six episodes of the season’s 10 provided to critics.
Carol Kane as Pelia in season 2 of ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo: Paramount+
And talking of unusual characters, we’re also promised a crossover with animated ‘Trek’ series ‘Lower Decks’ as Tawny Newsom and Jack Quaid embody the live-action versions of Ensigns Mariner and Boimler that they voice on the other show. That episode wasn’t on the list of those on offer, but let’s be honest; if any ‘Trek’ series can handle a crossover with a joke-heavy cartoon show without suffering, it’s surely ‘Strange New Worlds .
The missions are a mixed bag –– some, such as in episode 1, ‘The Broken Circle’, allow for a lot of fun (Spock and some of the other crew stealing the Enterprise to aid one of their own riffs on ‘Star Trek III: The Search for Spock’), while others ‘The Lotus’ Eaters’ memory-resetting planet feels like a well-used trope that isn’t given quite enough of a spin here.
But on the whole, ‘Strange New Worlds’ continues its impressive juggling act, the dramatic and warmly comedic sides still sitting comfortably in alignment. And it’s reassuring to know that there is, these days, a style of ‘Star Trek’ to suit so many tastes. Long may these voyages continue.
‘Star Trek: Strange New ’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
(L to R) Jess Bush as Chapel, Celia Rose Gooding as Shura, Ethan Peck as Spock, Anson Mount as Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Una, Babs Olusanmokun as M’Benga, Christina Chong as La’an and Melissa Navia as Ortegas of ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo: Pari Dukovic/Paramount+.
Having famously switched his filmmaking operations to Universal from longtime home Warner Bros. after dissatisfaction with the straight-to-HBO handling of some movies and its treatment of ‘Tenet’, Christopher Nolan has been working away on his next movie, ‘Oppenheimer’.
Universal, naturally, is going all out to promote this one, including with this first, unusual teaser, which features fragments of footage from the film, some voice-over dialogue referring to its subject matter and an ominous countdown clock.
Some have speculated that it’s to the release date – but not in America, as those figures don’t sync up. But with the movie opening in Singapore the day before its Stateside release, it makes more sense.
Nolan here is adapting the Pulitzer Prize-winning book ‘American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer’ by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin. It chronicles how he was part of the infamous Manhattan Project and played a key role in the creation of atomic weapons, yet later came to have complicated feelings about their deadly power. He lobbied for international control of nuclear power and opposed the creation of the even more destructive hydrogen bomb.
Cillian Murphy, a Nolan regular, plays Oppenheimer, who is glimpsed briefly in this first footage.
Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer’ written and directed by Christopher Nolan.
Emily Blunt is playing his wife, biologist, and botanist Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer, with Matt Damon as General Leslie Groves Jr., director of the Manhattan Project and Robert Downey, Jr. as Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.
Florence Pugh will portray psychiatrist Jean Tatlock, who turns out to have a hidden agenda, while Benny Safdie plays theoretical physicist Edward Teller. Michael Angarano is physicist Robert Serber and Josh Hartnett plays pioneering American nuclear scientist Ernest Lawrence.
Look, at this point it’s probably easier just to list the people who aren’t in Nolan’s latest. It might be the first end credits crawl in years where the cast runs for a longer time than the effects teams.
‘Oppenheimer’ sees Nolan tackling a historical subject again, and one that surely offers the opportunity for plenty of his terse dialogue and large-canvas visions. It won’t surprise you to learn that it has been shot and be and released on 65mm IMAX and large-format film. Providing the beautiful footage is another repeat Nolan colleague, director of photography Hoyte Van Hoytema, while composer Ludwig Göransson returns after scoring ‘Tenet’. A pulse-pounding biopic thriller with high stakes certainly feels like it could work well for Nolan.
‘Oppenheimer’ will be in theaters here from July 21st.
Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer’ written and directed by Christopher Nolan.
1tOJVQRXmFcGn2lZ7Th6l7
