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.
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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.
(L to R) Edie Falco, and Brian Cox in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
‘The Parenting’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
Premiering on Max on March 13th, ‘The Parenting’ is the latest blend of horror and comedy to arrive this year –– and is one of the most successful so far.
Humorously blending the sort of possession story offered up by ‘The Exorcist’ allied with the rom-com stylings of ‘Meet the Parents,’ Craig Johnson’s movie works on both fronts, and a committed cast throw themselves into the roles.
Lisa Kudrow in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
Comedy and horror tend to be fairly natural bedfellows, but getting the balance right between the two can be tricky, as one can cancel out the other. ‘The Parenting’ certainly leans heavier on the comedy aspect and doesn’t feature too much that is truly terrifying, but it does a good job of weaving the genres into a cohesive whole.
Many of the jokes are uproarious and come out of character, which means this works on several levels, including some gross-out moments and authentic development for the story.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Nik Dodani, and Brandon Flynn in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
The movie’s script comes from Kent Sublette, who has long worked on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ and has served on the writing teams of various award shows. But while there have been complaints in recent years about a dip in comedy levels at the venerable series, ‘The Parenting’ shows no signs of such lag.
Laughs come thick and fast with this film, rooted in believable characters, while the horror aspect is also entertaining and well crafted.
Chances are you’ll guess early on what is really happening here, but that doesn’t detract from how much fun you’ll have watching the movie itself.
Edie Falco in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
Here, he brings character-focused skills to bear on the film, encouraging the cast to stretch themselves and bring their A-game to the various roles.
While the horror side of things is, as mentioned, less of the focus, it’s still brought to the screen in interesting fashion. The scares are well-shot and the demonic side of the story has just the right level of freakish energy.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Lisa Kudrow and Dean Norris in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
If the script and direction are both winners, the charming, funny cast is equally a part of the movie’s ultimate success.
As central characters Rohan and Josh, actors Nik Dodani and Brandon Flynn share a warm chemistry as the couple who are nervously preparing to have their parents meet (while Rohan is also planning to propose to Josh, which adds an extra layer of anxiety). Their back-and-forth feels authentic, as do their heightened responses to each other’s family units.
And what family units! Rohan’s adoptive parents are the withdrawn Frank (Brian Cox) and the smart, somewhat picky Sharon (Edie Falco), who aren’t best amused by the situation they find themselves in. And that’s before the demonic angle kicks in.
Brian Cox in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
Falco does buttoned-down well here, playing off of everyone else and letting the comedy flow naturally. As the layers of Sharon peel, we find out what much more about her and how much she cares for her son.
As for Cox, he’s fantastic here, his buttoned-down character the first to be possessed by the demon lurking within the renovated rental house and turning him into something quite different.
Lisa Kudrow, meanwhile, leans into the kookiness of Liddy, Josh’s mother, but this is no Phoebe clone; instead she’s a good-natured person looking to have fun who becomes more and more concerned as the film goes on.
She’s well matched by Dean Norris, who is Josh’s big-hearted dad Cliff, who just wants everyone to get along, but is also prepared when the worst happens.
Parker Posey in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
Then there’s Vivian Bang’s Sara, the boys’ OTT best pal, who takes a panicked text from Rohan as reason to show up at the rental house and inject her particular brand of party girl attitude. But even she is more than meets the eye.
Finally, there’s Parker Posey as local eccentric Brenda, who manages the rental property and might just have more to do with the possession problem than anyone might first suspect. Posey is solid in the role, bringing a particularly offbeat energy.
And the cast as a whole are absolutely game for a laugh –– how many movies have you seen where a naked Brian Cox vomits all over another character? Or seen Edie Falco surprised on the toilet by people walking in on her?
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Brian Cox, Nik Dodani, Brandon Flynn, Edie Falco, Dean Norris, Lisa Kudrow in ‘The Parenting’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
‘The Parenting’ is a truly entertaining mix of laughs and chills that, while you might be surprised it isn’t coming out around Halloween, should work for any movie night that needs a blend of genres.
A solid script, fine style and great casting make this one stand out. It’s not a perfect film, but it’s a really fun one.
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What’s the plot of ‘The Parenting’?
A young gay couple, Rohan and Josh (Nik Dodani and Brandon Flynn), host a weekend getaway with their respective parents in a country house rental. Things take a turn when the three couples discover the presence of a 400-year-old evil entity.
Who is in the cast of ‘The Parenting’?
Nik Dodani as Rohan
Brandon Flynn as Josh
Parker Posey as Elizabeth
Vivian Bang as Lillian
Lisa Kudrow as Lisa
Dean Norris as John
Brian Cox as Gerald
Edie Falco as Dorothy
‘The Parenting’ premieres March 13th on Max. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
List of Movies and TV Shows Directed by Craig Johnson:
(L to R) Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sarah Catherine Hook, and Sam Nivola in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3. Photo: Fabio Lovino/HBO.
‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 receives 7 out of 10 stars.
Launching on HBO and streaming service Max with its first episode on February 16th, the third season of Mike White’s darkly hued comedy drama series ‘The White Lotus‘ is set at yet another location for the fictional, titular luxury resort chain, this time the lush climes of Thailand.
We’re greeted with a (mostly) new set of characters, all carrying some emotional baggage to complement their fancy suitcases. The question that must be asked, though, is the third time the charm?
(L to R) Morgana O’Reilly, Arnas Fedaravičius, Christian Friedel, Dom Hetrakul, and Lalisa Manobal in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3. Photo: Fabio Lovino/HBO.
“Everyone who comes to Thailand, they’re either hiding from someone or looking for someone…” So says one of the characters early in the season, and so it proves true: whether that means the someone they’re after or hiding from is a faith, a stranger or themselves.
Mike White has the formula down pat for the show now, and the real issue here is that it feels like he’s just putting minor spins on ideas that have been explored before. The characters might be different, but there is the typical clash between the spoiled guests and the staff who must cater to their whims, and while it would be boring if everyone were happy and settled, the crises don’t perhaps always add up to the same level of drama as previous outings.
Script and Direction
Walton Goggins in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3. Photo: Fabio Lovino/HBO.
White, who writes and directs every episode like an extended indie movie (albeit with the hefty budget of a prestige HBO show) brings his usual style and wit to the show, crafting another group of memorable characters.
Yet, as mentioned, they feel like versions of other seasons’ guests –– the younger ones are mostly looking for hedonistic party times, while the elders want to relax and escape their stressful lives.
And there is the standard assortment of people dealing with personal issues, from financial difficulties to a tragic secret from their past that has them simmering with vengeful anger that they’ve not shared with anyone around them, so everyone else thinks they’re just grumpy.
While the exploration of faith and religion as the big theme is new here, it’s not as fresh as it might be given how one young character explored the native traditions of Hawaii back in the first season, and again their wealthy, slightly conservative parents can’t quite understand the appeal or feeling like it’s a failure in upbringing.
Thankfully, the cast help to elevate the material.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Carrie Coon, Michelle Monaghan and Leslie Bibb in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3. Photo: Fabio Lovino/HBO.
Given the show’s award-winning ways, it’s not surprising that an excellent crop of actors has agreed to show up for Season 3 (and the promise of spending some time in a tropical locale, all expenses paid, doesn’t hurt either). You may find yourself, however, wishing they had fresher scripts to work from –– and there are other issues too.
Walton Goggins plays Rick Hatchett, a wealthy sort (one of those who prefers not to discuss in detail how they earned their fortune) who is traveling with younger girlfriend Chelsea (a funny and spirited type brought to life by ‘Sex Education’s Aimee Lou Wood).
Rick’s the aforementioned man on a mission, though he has not disclosed that to anyone, and Goggins plays him with appropriate snark and gruffness, and he makes for an entertaining duo with Wood.
Then we have Michelle Monaghan’s Jaclyn Lemon, a TV actress traveling with two old friends, Carrie Coon’s Laurie and Leslie Bibb’s Kate. Away for a girls’ trip on Jaclyn’s dime, you won’t be shocked when old issues rear their heads between them and the lure of an attractive young man who works at the hotel drives a wedge into a friendship that was already starting to drift apart over the years.
(L to R) Parker Posey and Jason Isaacs in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3. Photo: Fabio Lovino/HBO.
Filling the spot of wealthy-but-troubled family there’s Jason Isaacs as Timothy Ratliff, at the resort with pill-popping wife Victoria (Parker Posey) and their brood, gym bro Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), who has gone into financial business working for his dad, spiritual Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) who has her own reasons for the trip and bookish Lochlan (Sam Nivola), who Saxon is looking to draw out of his shell.
While the performances are all solid, the biggest issue for that group is Isaacs attempting a Texan accent, which seems to wander around the States and occasionally sounds Australian. While the actor has done good work in the past, here the accent gets in his way.
Around them are the staff, including solid supporting turns from Tayme Thapthimthong as ambitious security officer Gaitok, who has a thing for resort worker and dancer Mook (Lalisa Manoban), whose stories will become knotted up with the guests.
And Natasha Rothwell makes a welcome return as Belinda from Season 1, who is given a little more depth here.
Final Thoughts
Patrick Schwarzenegger in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3. Photo: Fabio Lovino/HBO.
‘The White Lotus’ knows what it needs to do each season and does it with style. If it perhaps feels a little less fresh these days, there is still enough mystery to keep you hooked and ready to spend time with these people –– no matter how annoying some of them might turn out to be.
HBO gave press the first six episodes of eight, so we can’t tell you whether the show solves its lingering background mystery as well as previous seasons, but it’ll keep you guessing.
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What’s the plot of ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3
The new season of the show brings a fresh group of wealthy characters (and the return of Natasha Rothwell’s spa worker Belinda Lindsey from Season 1’s Maui resort, who is hoping to pick up some tips from the staff) traveling to the lush jungles and beaches of Thailand.
Here, some of the characters are ready to explore faith and mysticism, others are looking for some much needed bonding time and at least one has a dark hidden agenda for their trip that could have a tragic fallout.
Who is in the cast of ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3
Leslie Bibb as Kate
Carrie Coon as Laurie
Walton Goggins as Rick Hatchett
Sarah Catherine Hook as Piper Ratliff
Jason Isaacs as Timothy Ratliff
Lalisa Manobal as Mook
Michelle Monaghan as Jaclyn Lemon
Sam Nivola as Lochlan Ratliff
Lek Patravadi as Sritala
Parker Posey as Victoria Ratliff
Natasha Rothwell as Belinda Lindsey
Patrick Schwarzenegger as Saxton Ratliff
Tayme Thapthimthong as Gaitok
Aimee Lou Wood as Chelsea
‘The White Lotus’ Season 3. Photo: Fabio Lovino/HBO.
One of those to actually take the stage is Sam Rockwell, who won the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for ‘Three Billboards,’ has boarded McDonagh’s latest, ‘Wild Horse Nine.’
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And he’s not alone. While Rockwell would be making his third appearance in a McDonagh movie (he also starred in ‘Seven Psychopaths’), the director is also recruiting some new faces (well, to him): John Malkovich, Mark Ruffalo and Parker Posey.
This actually isn’t the first incarnation of the project, though: it originally launched at the American Film Market in 2021, where Searchlight Pictures (which also worked with the director on ‘Three Billboards’ and ‘Banshees’) picked up the rights to the prestige movie with Rockwell attached to star alongside Oscar Isaac and Christopher Walken.
Isaac and Walken have since moved on, mostly due to scheduling we assume.
As with most of McDonagh’s previous movies, the exact plotline is being kept quiet for now. We’d guess that it’ll be his usual blend of quirky characters, smart comedy and memorable emotional turns.
But what we do know is that production kicks off in March in Rapa Nui, the indigenous name for Easter Island, a protected Chilean wildlife area 3,700 kilometers off the country’s coast known for its unrivalled cultural landscape and for being the most remote inhabited island on Earth.
The Rapa Nui National Park continues to maintain a high degree of authenticity, having had minimal intervention since the area’s near-abandonment in the late 19th century.
You just know, then, that the production will have to tiptoe carefully around the area. You hear that, Rockwell? No legendary dancing near the statues!
What else has John Malkovich been working on?
John Malkovich in ‘Red 2’. Photo: Lionsgate.
Malkovich will be seen as an oddball, charismatic pop star-turned-cult leader in A24 movie ‘Opus,’ which will be in theaters this coming March and co-stars Ayo Edebiri.
He’s also drawing attention for his brief appearance in the new teaser trailer for Marvel’s ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps.’ His role is under wraps, but the fan theories are coming thick and fast.
In addition to those, he’s part of the cast for action adventure comedy ‘Sacrifice,’ crime mystery ‘In the Hand of Dante’ and animated pic ‘A Winter’s Journey.’
Ruffalo, who was last seen in ‘Poor Things’ (where he scored a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination) next has Bong Joon Ho’s sci-fi satire ‘Mickey 17,’ featuring Robert Pattinson as a cloned worker in space, due to hit theaters in March.
He’s playing an FBI agent in upcoming Max series ‘Task’ and will reprise his role as Dylan Rhodes in ‘Now You See Me 3.’
Rockwell returned to voice reformed criminal Mr. Wolf in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘The Bad Guys’ spin-off short ‘Little Lies and Alibis,’ which played before ‘Dog Man’ in theaters.
And that was just a prelude to ‘The Bad Guys’ sequel, which lands in August this year.
Also on the animated front, he’ll be heard as the main character in ‘The Adventures of Drunky,’ and has a role in Gore Verbinski’s new action comedy ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,’ in which A man claiming to be from the future arrives at a diner in Los Angeles where he must recruit the precise combination of disgruntled patrons to join him on a one-night quest to save the world from the terminal threat of a rogue artificial intelligence.
The actor also has a variety of other roles in development, including a Merle Haggard biopic and action comedy ‘The Heart.’
What is Parker Posey up to?
Parker Posey stars in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
Posey’s next role will be on the small screen rather than in theaters, as she’s part of the cast for Season 3 of ‘The White Lotus,’ which starts on HBO on February 16th.
Movie-wise, she’s worked on ‘The Parenting,’ a new horror comedy about a family renting a countryside house for a vacation, only to discover a poltergeist haunting the place.
When will ‘Wild Horse Nine’ be in theaters?
Searchlight Pictures has yet to reveal a release date for the new movie, and McDonagh is not a director to be rushed. But chances are it could end up in awards contention either this year or next.
Oscar® nominee, Martin McDonagh arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit / Provider: Michael Baker / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.
(L to R) June Squibb and Fred Hechinger in ‘Thelma’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Arriving in theaters on Friday June 21st, ‘Thelma’ is combines fun action moments, a winning star turn from June Squibb and some knowing talk about the vagaries of aging, all wrapped up in a confident, humorous tale.
(L to R) Richard Roundtree and June Squibb in ‘Thelma’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
A crowd-pleasing hit out of the Sundance Film Festival, ‘Thelma’ is a movie that works on various different levels, to differing levels of success. But the whole is more than the sum of its parts, and this makes for a refreshing take on action comedy blended with honest emotion and observation.
And if you’ve ever wondered whether Tom Cruise might still be looking to do the sort of stunts for which he’s become famous via the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise (a direct influence here, referenced early on) in his later years, June Squibb provides the answer. Admittedly, she’s not jumping motorbikes off cliffs or hanging from planes as they take off, her stunts more limited to some nifty scooter driving, a gentle roll across a bed or hilarious moments wielding a gun, but she certainly gives it her all to a degree that Cruise would surely offer a thumbs up to.
Script and Direction
‘Thelma’ director Josh Margolin. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Writer/director Josh Margolin infuses real emotion and truth into his story since it is partly based on his interactions with his own grandmother (also named Thelma and glimpsed in real-life video during the end credits).
It all powers a story that feels real while also making for a truly entertaining experience. Margolin’s screenplay also works like a finely-crafted watch, setting up concepts that pay off perfectly down the line –– a subtle reference to a class at Ben’s (Richard Roundtree) retirement community that ends up paying off, and a literal example of the Chekhov’s gun idea (even if it ends up going off long before the final act).
Margolin has also concocted truly watchable characters, the role of Thelma herself a gift for any actor, but perfectly tailored to Squibb’s particular vibe. Don’t go into the movie expecting a pulse-pounding thriller, this is much more a deliberate, quietly-paced comedy drama with a keen eye for small details that add up and creative a convincing world.
Beyond the driving –– literally in several moments –– central plot of an elderly woman looking to get her money back after she falls victim to a scam, there are carefully observed touches such as Thelma constantly thinking she knows people around town, being befuddled by modern technology and dealing with her anxious family.
Yet there is no mockery of those at a later stage of life: while she’s introduced trying to get to grips with the confusing world of a computer, Thelma and her fellow pensioners are portrayed as smart, fearless and using the valuable experience gathered in a lifetime to solve problems, including the smart use of a lifeline emergency tracking gadget to evade discovery and real tenacity in the face of danger.
The resulting film is a real delight, shot unfussily but with real style in a few places, happily spoofing some action movie angles, and, in one pyrotechnic moment, the whole concept of lead actors walking away from an explosion without looking back (in this case, also not being able to hear it). Margolin lets his actors do their jobs without needing to jazz up the frame.
Performances
(L to R) Parker Posey, Fred Hechinger and Clark Gregg in ‘Thelma’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
This is most definitely June Squibb’s film. The actor, who was 93 when she shot the movie, fully engages with the fact that this is her first leading role in a movie. And on the evidence of this (and, let’s be honest, performances in movies such as ‘Nebraska’), it was long, long overdue.
Squibb brings Thelma to life perfectly, channeling Margolin’s script and working to bring the character to the screens in believably fun ways. And her interactions with the rest of the cast are just as memorable.
Richard Roundtree –– the man who was Shaft back in the day –– is warm and involving as Thelma’s slightly estranged friend Ben, who she ropes into her mission mostly because she needs his motorized scooter. Roundtree, in his final performance, has easy chemistry with Squibb and the pair play well off of each other.
Fred Hechinger is also solid as her grandson Danny, a young man still searching for his place in life, who is fresh off a breakup and can’t seem to find the right gear (unless he’s driving). Hechninger has a fun vibe with Squibb, and also his own arc.
While Parker Posey and Clark Gregg don’t have the same screentime, and the nervy family subplot doesn’t always offer the same compelling reason to watch, they’re always entertaining and put their all into the roles.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Richard Roundtree and June Squibb in ‘Thelma’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
A truly original film that deserves to see success, ‘Thelma’ is well-written and superbly performed.
Action stars rarely see awards love, and even given the mid-year release, we wouldn’t be surprised if Squibb in particular ends up in the Oscar conversation for a nomination at the very least.
‘Thelma’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘Thelma’?
The action comedy follows Thelma Post (June Squibb), a feisty 93-year-old grandmother who gets conned by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson Danny (Fred Hechinger) and sets out on a treacherous quest across Los Angeles, accompanied by aging friend Ben (Richard Roundtree) and his motorized scooter, to reclaim what was taken from her.
Who else is in ‘Thelma’?
The cast also features Parker Posey as Thelma’s daughter Gail, Clark Gregg as son-in-law Alan, and Malcolm McDowell as Harvey, the scammer she ultimately confronts.
Theatrical one-sheet for ‘Thelma’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
(L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Premiering on Prime Video this week, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ loosely –– very loosely –– adapts the 2005 Doug Limanmovie that saw Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie playing married assassins unaware of each other’s secret job whose stale relationship is re-ignited when they’re assigned by their competing agencies to take each other out (and we don’t mean on a date).
But the new series shares really only the title and the most basic concept with the movie. Instead, here we have two strangers who apply for a job that sees them partnered up and moving through the various stages of relationships in their fake coupledom even as real feelings develop and the missions become more perilous.
Maya Erskine in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ deployed monsters as metaphor for teenage angst, body changes, and concerns. ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ tries a similar trick (though hopefully without the problematic future Joss Whedon of it all), utilizing the central couple’s various experiences as a mirror for a developing relationship.
It’s not a completely 1:1 situation, though some episodes play to that much more than others (episode 5, for example, sees the duo forced into a situation where their charge, played wonderfully by a superbly grumpy Ron Perlman is effectively a substitute child) but in general, the idea works.
Sometimes the balance of character work to action can be off-kilter, and not everything about the main dynamic works (Donald Glover and Maya Erskine have decent chemistry, though it takes some time to find its groove). Which, we suppose is how all relationships start and end up working.
But on the whole, it’s an entertaining peek into the various marker points of the relationship and the series format certainly offers more scope to explore the character levels than anything in the movie.
‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’: Script and Direction
(L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Though Glover originally developed the show with ‘Fleabag’ creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, creative differences saw Waller-Bridge depart and Glover instead create the show with his ‘Atlanta’ cohort Francesca Sloane (who runs the show here).
The writing for the series carries some of the hallmarks of Glover and Sloane’s past work (though none of its experimental, random nature which probably wouldn’t have worked for this). This time around, their focus is on the burgeoning relationships and using the spy missions/job as a giant metaphor for an evolving connection between two people is one that largely works well, even if it does mean there tends to be a larger focus on interaction between the two main characters rather than the action side of things. Jane and John are written decently, though they may end up testing the patience of some audiences.
As for the metaphors, they run the gamut from excellent to exhausting. One episode, where our main pair meet and spend time with another “John” and “Jane” is at times interminable (no fault of the actors involved). But the mission-of-the-week format means that if you don’t spark to one episode, you may well enjoy another.
Directors Hiro Murai, Christian Sprenger and Karena Evans (the first two have ‘Atlanta’ experience on their busy resumes, the latter has focused more on music videos and other TV series) bring a fresh, dynamic look to the show, and if the action moments aren’t quite up there with the likes of the ‘Mission: Impossible’ or ‘Bond’ franchises, that’s because it isn’t the main point here. This is a relationship drama with a side of set-pieces.
‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’: Performances
(L to R) Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
With the guest cast almost constantly changing (only one or two people beyond the leads appear in more than a single episode), the weight is very much on Glover and Erskine. As people who have both been the focus of TV series they co-created, they’re both more than able to carry the load of leading roles.
Of the two, Erskine comes off better, getting to show more development than the slightly more disconnected Glover. She’s excited for the opportunity to begin with, but you can really see the weight settle upon her as the season moves on. Keeping the metaphor of the relationship going, she becomes more and more disenfranchised as she realizes she’s holding up more of her end in terms both missions and personal life.
Which is not to say that Glover is bad –– his John Smith is a man who seems far less willing to leave his old life behind (a nod towards the usual commitment issues found more often in men than women) –– and he has some superb moments as the relationship develops and, at times, sours.
(L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Neither of the main pair are natural action stars, but they do their best, aided with a decent stunt team.
Around them is an ever-changing roster of others: Paul Dano is a good-looking neighbor who Jane takes a shine to, while Wagner Moura and Parker Posey are the other John and Jane who share the double date that ends awkwardly (and dangerously). Again, as mentioned above, the actors are perfectly fine in their roles, they’re just let down a little by the episode’s script.
Perlman, meanwhile, is wonderful in his role as the mysterious man that John and Jane are assigned to protect.
‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’: Final Thoughts
(L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
If it sometimes stretches the concept a little thin, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ is an effective mix of spy thriller and marriage drama with the emphasis on the latter.
Those seeking the next ‘Atlanta’ won’t find that here, but then, that wasn’t the point –– and as adaptations of movies go, this at least has the confidence to truly be its own thing.
‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
(L to R) Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
What’s the story of ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’?
Two lonely strangers land jobs working for a mysterious spy agency that offers them a glorious life of espionage, wealth, world travel, and a dream brownstone in Manhattan.
The catch? New identities in an arranged marriage as Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Smith. Now hitched, John (Donald Glover) and Jane (Maya Erskine) navigate a high-risk mission every week while also facing a new relationship milestone.
Their complex cover story becomes even more complicated when they catch real feelings for each other. What’s riskier: espionage or marriage?
(Left) Jason Isaacs as Cary Grant in ‘Archie.’ Photo: BritBox International. (Center Left) Parker Posey stars in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’ (Center Right) Leslie Bibb as Ellie in ‘About My Father.’ Photo Credit: Dan Anderson. (Right) Michelle Monaghan in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Preview:
Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey and Michelle Monaghan have boarded ‘The White Lotus’ for Season 3.
Mike White is back to write and direct the series.
Season 3 will be set in Thailand.
We’ve had to wait longer than originally thought for our next visit to a White Lotus property –– the fictional luxury resorts that form the backdrop for Mike White’s darkly comic series ‘The White Lotus’, which has, across two seasons, brought to life some grotesque characters and others who interact with them.
With White gearing up to start work on the next season, we know some of the people who will be showing up in the cast.
Who has joined ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3?
Jason Isaacs as Cary Grant in ‘Archie.’ Photo: BritBox International.
There are also the rumored names who are even less official at this point: Woody Harrelson, Walton Goggins and Patrick Schwarzenegger are among those who are mooted. We’ll see if any of those become a reality.
The new additions join Natasha Rothwell, who will reprise the role of Belinda from the first season (you might recall her as the kindly, enthusiastic spa worker who strikes up a friendship with Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya McQuoid).
Jennifer Coolidge in HBO’s ‘The White Lotus.’ Photograph by Fabio Lovino/HBO.
There are no details about the story for this one yet, though we can reliably assume that it’ll follow a group of wealthy, privileged types and the associated hotel staff and hangers-on who orbit them.
Do we think there might be a murder or a mysterious death that is teased early on and explained towards the end? Given the format to date, it’s a fair guess.
Where will the new season of ‘The White Lotus’ take place?
(L to R) Haley Lu Richardson and Leo Woodall in ‘The White Lotus’ season 2. Photo: Fabio Lovino/HBO.
Following stays in Hawaii and then Italy, the third season’s locale has been confirmed as Thailand, where a Four Seasons property will be transformed into the White Lotus brand of hotels.
Here’s what Janet Graham Borba, executive vice president of production for HBO & Max said about the choice:
“We are pleased to partner with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to execute Mike’s creative vision and showcase all that the beautiful country of Thailand has to offer, as the next group of guests check in to the White Lotus.”
You do have to wonder if White is just picking locations from his vacation bucket list, but when the show is as entertaining as this, it’s hard to hold it against him.
When will ‘The White Lotus’ be on screens?
HBO and Max have yet to announce a date for this one, though if completed in time it could be on screens before the end of the year –– though more likely it’ll be 2025.
Aubrey Plaza in ‘The White Lotus’ season 2. Photo: Fabio Lovino/HBO.
Prime Video’s ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ has launched its first trailer.
The show stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine.
The series launches on February 2nd.
Once upon a time, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith‘ were Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, playing married assassins whose relationship had begun to feel stale. But when they discover their shared, hidden sides, things spice back up –– even if neither might survive it.
In taking that idea, ‘Atlanta’ creator and co-star Donald Glover has given it a slight twist (see below), recruiting Maya Erskine to play Mrs. Smith to his Mr.
From the looks of the first teaser, the show certainly manages to bring both the funny and the action levels, so this is one we’re anticipating.
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What’s the story of ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’?
(L to R) Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
While it has a similar basic concept to the 2005 Doug Liman movie (famously the project where Pitt met and ended up married to co-star Jolie), the new series puts a fresh spin on the story.
Here, Glover and Erskine play two lonely strangers who land jobs working for a mysterious spy agency that offers them a glorious life of espionage, wealth, world travel, and a dream brownstone in Manhattan.
The catch? New identities in an arranged marriage as Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Smith. Now hitched, John and Jane navigate a high-risk mission every week while also facing a new relationship milestone. Their complex cover story becomes even more complicated when they catch real feelings for each other. What’s riskier: espionage or marriage?
Who also appears in ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’?
Maya Erskine in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Donald Glover in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Glover co-created the series with Francesca Sloane, one of his ‘Atlanta’ colleagues. Christian Sprenger, a fallow ‘Atlanta’ veteran, is the main director.
Originally, ‘Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge was aboard to co-write and co-star, but because of creative differences, she left the show in 2021.
“I worked on that show for six months fully in heart and mind and really cared about it — still care about it. And I know it’s gonna be brilliant. But sometimes it’s about knowing when to leave the party. You don’t want to get in the way of a vision. Creative collaboration is like a marriage, and some marriages don’t work out.”
When will ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ be on our screens?
All eight episodes of the show will debut on Prime Video on February 2nd.
(L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.(L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.(L to R) Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Parker Posey about her work on ‘Beau Is Afraid,’ director Ari Aster’s unique visual style, working with Joaquin Phoenix, and why she needs filmmakers and fellow actors to fight for her to get roles.
Parker Posey stars in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
You can read the full interview below or please click on the video player above to watch the interview and clips from the film.
Moviefone: To begin with, how did director Ari Aster originally pitch this film to you and what was your first reaction to the extremely imaginative screenplay?
Parker Posey: Well, I heard that he wanted to meet me on Zoom. So we had a Zoom meeting, and I said, “I saw ‘Hereditary’ and there was one thing that I really didn’t like about it.” Then I was like, “That I wasn’t in it.” Because I’m such a fan. I mean, ‘Hereditary’, and this movie too, he’s a real auteur filmmaker, and a visionary filmmaker who create these worlds that are able to elicit feelings that no other filmmaker can make and that are special to the artist. So Ari, with his actors and his direction, his camera work, his storytelling, to me, it felt like when I read it, like it was a movie that he always wanted to make.
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix and director Ari Aster on the set of ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
MF: When you had your first meeting with Ari did you know immediately that you would work well with him on set?
PP: So when we met on Zoom, he just said, “I’ve been a fan of yours for so long. I really want you to be in this movie. It’s a small part but Joaquin wants you too.” I was like, “I’m just so thankful.” I don’t get to do roles unless the director really wants me, and the star really wants me. They can fight the financiers or whoever’s in charge that is saying, “No, we want someone younger, or we want someone who was just in a movie last month.” So I was really, really touched to have that support and to feel that support come seemingly out of nowhere and be like, “Oh, this is really sweet. This is how it used to be for me way back 30 years ago. Back in the day, darling.” So it was lovely.
Joaquin Phoenix in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
MF: The movie is visually stunning. Can you talk about the unique look of the film and what you thought of the final product?
PP: It’s a Kafkaesque landscape, and it’s a labyrinth. We don’t know where we are. We don’t know who these people are, we don’t know who they’re working for. So he’s making something culturally relevant today that audience members will want to go to a theater and see. But when I saw the screening, I was like, “This could be at Disney World.” The art behind it, what Beau goes through, it just looks great.
Joaquin Phoenix in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
MF: Finally, what was it like working with Joaquin Phoenix and watching his process as an actor?
PP: You’re taken by Joaquin and what he does as an actor in bringing out our empathy. Also, he’s so mysterious as well. He’s got a lot going on. He’s very loose and open, and fluid, as an actor, and also very physical. Ari had a lot of physical theater actors in this. So there’s this gravitas that the performers carry that you don’t see tonally in a lot of movies, which I really love.
(L to R) Nathan Lane, Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Ryan in ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
Joaquin Phoenix in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
‘Beau Is Afraid’ on wide release now, represents filmmaker Ari Aster cashing in the creative credit he’s earned with the buzz and box office of horror movies ‘Hereditary’ and ‘Midsommar’ and taking a gigantic swing for the creative fences that will surely end up in the “love” or “hate” column for most viewers.
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What is ‘Beau is Afraid’ about?
Aster’s latest is the story of nervy, milquetoast Beau Wassermann (Joaquin Phoenix), who lives alone in a downtown apartment building where every moment is a waking nightmare. His home is squarely in a city block that might be a war zone for all the chaos that seemingly constantly breaks out on the streets.
Prone to anxiety and paranoia, he visits his longtime therapist (Stephen McKinley Henderson), who prepares him for his imminent journey to visit his mother Mona (Patti LuPone). But mayhem ensues on the eve of Beau’s departure, spinning his life in a surreal new direction.
Unable to reach his destination in a world gone insane, traveling on roads that don’t appear on any map, Beau is forced to confront his own life and the lies he’s been told by those closest to him.
And that’s the most basic description –– there is so much more lurking within here, including weird, grieving suburbanites (played by Nathan Lane and Amy Ryan) who initially help and then effectively adopt Beau, much to the endless frustration of their teen daughter Toni (Kylie Rogers). A forest-dwelling theatre troupe with whom Beau links up end up shattered by tragedy. And when he does finally get to his mother’s house, there is some truly surreal weirdness to follow.
Wreathed through it all are flashbacks to his time as a teenager (where he’s brought to life by Armen Nahapetian), spending time on a cruise ship and elsewhere with his demanding, highly strung mother (here played by Zoe Lister-Jones). It’s on the cruise that a crucial moment in Beau’s development –– or the arrest of it, at least –– occurs, when he meets and falls for Elaine (Julia Antonelli), only for her to be snatched away by her mother. It really gets to the roots of his problems.
(L to R) Nathan Lane, Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Ryan in ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
Cast Performances
Beau is such a sniveling, seemingly unlikable protagonist that it’s credit to Aster and Phoenix that he’s actually watchable on his crazy journey. While it often feels like things are more happening to Beau than he’s ever driving the story, he remains a worthwhile anchor for our attention.
Indeed, it’s credit to the actor that he holds your attention, and he’s joined by some suitably skilled co-stars, including Richard Kind, Hayley Squires, and Parker Posey, who arrives late on as the adult Elaine, and makes an impression with her limited screen time.
Some of the cast –– especially Kind –– feel like they’re wasted in tiny roles, but you can see why they might want to come and play in Aster’s strange sandbox. Lister-Jones, meanwhile, has more to chew on as Beau’s overbearing “smother” who evolves into the more distant version played by LuPone.
If you were expecting an easy, entertaining watch or something simple to take a date to, this is not the movie for you –– unless you’re a fan of complicated, weird, and downright standoffish arthouse fare.
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix and director Ari Aster on the set of ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
‘Beau’s driving themes are guilt, fear and the endless, driving chaos of the modern world, reflecting on how we internalize our feelings, and they start to poison us. There are rampaging killers, Freudian images, and stories of how Beau’s father died in the act of conceiving him.
This is, as we’ve said, not a film that will inspire mild responses. You’re likely to either love or loathe it, depending on whether you get on board. And even then, the abrupt ending (after near three hours of surreal oddity) might jolt you out of that positivity.
Long tracts of the story are likely to invoke boredom if you’ve no tolerance for whimsy or ideas that appears to be weird for weirdness’ sake. Aster throws every cinematic trick in the book at this one, including animated sequences, and an opening scene that makes Beau’s journey through the birth canal into an unforgiving world appear like a battlefield thanks to a discordant soundtrack. There are grotesques and grime, and even a sequence where Phoenix, naked, wrestles with a man who unexpectedly drops into his bath.
Given the director’s history, there is also bloody violence, a big dose of satire and some real shocks here and there, though it’s also shot through with a lot more humor than either of his previous works. Through it all, you can feel like Aster has big issues on his mind but isn’t always able to communicate them in a way that makes you want to listen or understand.
And that’s a big problem at the core of ‘Beau’ –– though it’s good to see a director given free rein to make the movie he truly wants to –– there’s a big question of whether anyone really needed to see it in the first place. Plenty of films have explored child/parent relations, guilt, and emotional crises, and in a way that tries to connect with the audience. Aster seems more interested in the strangeness he can invent to get those concepts across.
Yet even as large swathes are almost designed to turn you off, there’s something to be said for the tone and the soundscape, which end up trickling into your subconscious and, unless you truly reject everything the movie has to offer, could still have you thinking about the story days after you see it.
Final Thoughts
What we have here is a confronting, unique movie, but not always for the good, and with . In all honesty, we’d say watch it if you’re in the mood for something challenging, but don’t say you weren’t warned.
‘Beau Is Afraid’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.
Joaquin Phoenix in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
