Friday Box Office: Transformers The Last Knight Leads Pack

With the release ofTransformers: The Last Knight, we are supposedly seeing the release of the final film in the franchise to be directed byMichael Bay, the pale king of modern empty-headed movie spectacles. It’s also easily the most idiotic film in the series, and runs at an unmerciful two-and-a-half hours, which is shorter thanAge of Extinctionbut in the same realm asDark of the Moon. I don’t imagine that these are the reasons thatThe Last Knightis currently looking at an estimated $62 million opening weekend, which would be the most meager opening for the franchise to date, but there is something to be said for an audience simply losing interest in franchise, even after sticking it through four films that in total are about the length of the entire last season ofFargo....

July 15, 2025 · 2 min · 417 words · Linda Spencer

Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 5 Featurette

HBO has unveiled a new behind-the-scenes featurette forGame of ThronesSeason 7 Episode 5, “Eastwatch”. In this five-minute “Inside the Episode” video, showrunnersDavid BenioffandD.B. Weissgo into more detail on some of the plot points, starting with Daenerys’ ultimatum given after the Loot Train Attack. Benioff admits he sides with Dany here, while noting that Tyrion’s non-violent stance is also admirable. But Benioff does a nice job of making the case for why Dany’s decision-making is far different than Cersei’s, and it’ll be interesting to see if the Lannister soldiers that remain grow to love their new Queen....

July 15, 2025 · 2 min · 301 words · Bradley Stone

George Miller Teases Another 'Mad Max: Fury Road' Prequel

Warner Bros. brought out the big guns on stage in the second night ofCinemaConwith previews of their upcoming slate, including the return of theMad Maxfranchise with the prequelFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga. Series mastermindGeorge Millerwas in attendance at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas alongside starsAnya Taylor-JoyandChris Hemsworthfor a panel to discuss the hotly-anticipated post-apocalyptic spinoff andshare an extended previewahead of its May 24 release in theaters. During their discussion, however, he teased that there may be more story to tell revolving around Max Rockatansky before the release ofMad Max: Fury Road....

July 15, 2025 · 3 min · 557 words · Sandra Davis

George R.R. Martin Confronted By Angry Fan at WorldCon, Told to Hand 'The Winds of Winter' to Brandon Sanderson

We all know thatGeorge R.R. Martinhas taken too long to finishThe Winds of Winter. Indeed, no one is moreaware of that fact than Martin himself, which is why his consistency in making public appearances remains so commendable. However, Martin may be reconsidering these appearances following reports of appalling scenes at this weekend’s WorldCon in Seattle. Martin, appearing on a panel alongsideBrandon Sanderson, Robin Hobb, Rebecca Roanhorse, andRyan Cahill,was said to be confronted during a question-and-answer session by a supposed “fan” of his work, who demanded to know when he would be handingThe Winds of WinterandA Dream of Spring— the final novel inA Song of Ice and Fire— to another author like Sanderson, adding that Martin was “probably going to die soon....

July 15, 2025 · 2 min · 408 words · John Pineda

Gotham Actor BD Wong on Playing Hugo Strange

On the next episode of the Fox seriesGotham, called “Wrath of the Villains: A Dead Man Feels No Cold,” James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) are continuing their search for Victor Fries (Nathan Darrow), aka Mr. Freeze. At the same time, Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) is being subjected to experimental tests by Hugo Strange (BD Wong), who has a mysterious master plan. During this exclusive phone interview with Collider, actor BD Wong talked about how much fun he’s having with playing such a devious individual, working on such a secretive project, being the villain to the villains, adapting Hugo Strange’s look, being a classic mad scientist, the unusual dynamic between Strange and Ms....

July 15, 2025 · 9 min · 1748 words · Thomas Smith

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 Images Reveal Mantis, Abilisk

You’ve already watched thenew trailerforGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,right? If not, do that now, otherwise this selection of images is going to seem downright bizarre out of context. Well, to be fair, they’re pretty bizarre regardless of context thanks to the title team battling such space monstrosities asAbilisk, and for the trusting of Baby Groot with high explosives. But if you’ve seen the first film, you’re probably all-in on the weirdness already....

July 15, 2025 · 2 min · 312 words · Rebecca Barnes

Hellraiser: How Does the Reboot Compare to the Original?

In 1987, horror masterClive Barkertook over the director’s chair to adapt his novelThe Hellbound Heart.Hellraiserquickly became one of the most influential horror movies of the 1980s, spawning a profitable franchise of movies, comic books, and merchandising. After 35 years and nine mostly forgettable sequels,Hellraiseris getting a reboot on Hulu, withDavid Bruckner(The Ritual,The Night House) taking the helm over the franchise. While theHellraiserreboot makes an effort to stand on its own, comparisons with Barker’s original film are inevitable....

July 15, 2025 · 3 min · 580 words · Kari Wong

I'm a Diehard MCU Fan, and I Think These 10 Things Can Totally Happen in 'Avengers: Doomsday'

I love the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I’m not afraid to say it. For all its ups and downs (lately, more of the latter than the former), I think the positives still outweigh the negatives. With the critical and fan success ofThunderbolts*recently, I have a ton of hope for the future of the MCU withAvengers: Doomsday. Now that the MCU is leaving behind some of its most scandalous times, my hopes are much higher....

July 15, 2025 · 9 min · 1749 words · Christian Byrd

iPhone X vs XS Max: Detailed Comparison Review

The iPhone X marked a turning point in Apple’s phone design, departing from the familiar button-laden front face to a nearly all-screen facade. Its successor, the iPhone XS Max, took this new blueprint and expanded on it quite literally with a larger display. Consumers looking to upgrade or choose between the two models have different factors to consider, including size preference and technical specifications. While the iPhone X introduced the world to Face ID and the notch, the XS Max pushed the envelope by offering a more immersive experience with its bigger screen and improved capabilities....

July 15, 2025 · 6 min · 1081 words · Dr. Gary Evans

Jeff Tomsic on Tag, the 90s Soundtrack and Filming the Action

Now playing in theaters is directorJeff Tomsic’scomedy,Tag.Written byRob McKittrickandMark Steilen, the film is based on a real group of friends that have been playing the same game of Tag for over twenty years and were profiled in the Wall Street Journal article titled, “It Takes Planning, Caution to Avoid Being It,” byRussell Adams. While the movie makes some changes to the amount of people playing and other details, the essence of the story is very much in place....

July 15, 2025 · 2 min · 217 words · Christina Clark

Jenny Slate on The Sunlit Night and Her Big Mouth Future

From directorDavid Wnendtand screenwriterRebecca Dinerstein Knight, the indie dramaThe Sunlit Nightfollows aspiring painter Frances (JennySlate), who finds herself leaving New York City to spend some time in Arctic Norway, for an assignment that she hopes will inspire her. Working for an unforgiving mentor who’s also a master painter (FridtjovSåheim) turns out to be an unexpected experience, but it reinvigorates Frances, as she sets out on her own path forward. During this 1-on-1 phone interview with Collider, Slate (who also produced this film) speaks about this story of a woman trying to find where her power lies, how deeply she responded to the mentor-student relationship, finding the comedy within the characters, and what it was like to work in 24 hours of sunlight in Arctic Norway....

July 15, 2025 · 11 min · 2201 words · Alexander Daugherty

Kate Bishop DLC Review: Marvel's Avengers Needs More Content

Just yesterday, I was able to finally check out the first major DLC forMarvel’s Avengers, which introduced Kate Bishop and her story-focused mini-campaign, “Operation: Taking AIM.” What followed was a series of thrilling if familiar missions allowing me and my fellow Avengers to get acquainted with Kate as her story unfolded. I kept coming back to that story, eager to see it completed, over the course oftwostreams. Roughly six hours later, the whole thing was over and done with; I was back to the grind that I had left behind not a day before, albeit with a new superhero to gear up and max out....

July 15, 2025 · 5 min · 941 words · Robert Marquez

L.A. Times: Michelle Morgan, Jorma Taccone Interview

Are you a fan ofWoody AllenandWhit Stillman? If so then I definitely recommend checking out writer-directorMichelle Morgan’sdebut featureL.A. Timeswhen it eventually gets released. The film premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and it’s a contemporary look at love and life among three thirtysomething people living in Los Angeles. Morgan plays an aspiring writer with an opinion of almost everyone,Jorma Tacconeplays the creator of aGame of Thronestype series and Morgan’s boyfriend, andDree Hemingwayis Morgan’s romantically troubled best friend....

July 15, 2025 · 3 min · 456 words · Keith Obrien