Quentin Tarantino has famously vowed that he’d only ever direct 10 films. He even seems willing to stick with the idea. But what will it be? Will it be his long-threatened Kill Bill threequel? His also long-threatened Vega brothers movie? Maybe he’d actually get his R-rated Star Trek romp off the ground. But now, sources say he’s decided on his swan song, and it might not be what you think.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, the storied but very much not prolific filmmaker is hard at work on a movie called The Movie Critic. Details are predictably thin on the ground, but it’s believed to be “set in late 1970s Los Angeles with a female lead at its center.”
Tarantino loves playing with history, even rewriting it, so it’s possible it could at least be inspired by a real-life female film critic from that era. THR speculates it could be about one of the most famous critics of all time, Pauline Kael, a highly opinionated and combative writer who didn’t write criticism. In the late ‘70s she was coaxed away from her profession, briefly becoming a consultant for Paramount. Or perhaps it could be about another of the era’s female film critics, like Molly Haskell, Judith Crist or Renata Adler.
Everything is still in the early stages, and Tarantino doesn’t even have a home studio for the project. When/if it happens, it will be his big screen follow-up to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, also set around the same time and which defied today’s franchise trend by becoming a semi-surprise smash hit.
It’s not that much of a surprise that Tarantino would want to make a movie about a movie critic. Last year, he released Cinema Speculations, a book of bona fide (and oft-kooky) film criticism, mostly about ’70s cinema. Perhaps that was mere research for the movie he swears will be his last. It’s also worth noting that few directors talk up projects they get around to making quite like Tarantino.
They say there’s someone for everyone, but what about tinfoil hat conspiracy theorists? If you’re into QAnon or believe the Earth is flat or think Ted Cruz’s dad is the Zodiac killer, does that make it harder to date? If so, then you’re in luck: As per Vice, conspiracy theory dating sites have started cropping up in an era of, as Kellyanne Conway would put it, “alternative facts.”
Alas, so far the only such dating sites are in Europe. One, from Germany, is called schwurbeltreff.de, whose name is a nod to a disparaging German term for conspiracy theorists speaking gibberish. Launched last month, it already has 1,5000 users. And what’s it like over at schwubeltreff?
Alongside the standard dating profile bio questions around height, hobbies and favourite movies, new users of the site are asked to list which conspiracy theories they consider to be real – such as coronavirus, QAnon, New World Order or prepper ideology – and to disclose the number of coronavirus vaccines they’ve taken. New users are also asked to describe where they get their information about current events, and to explain how they think the world will change in the next 20 years.
The site’s creator is Michael Bründel, a prominent German conspiracy theorist who of course is a major player in the nation’s anti-lockdown scene. Here’s some other things worth knowing about him:
Styling himself as “Captain Future,” wearing a trademark yellow cap and eyemask, Bründel has been a fixture at so-called “Freedom Marches” since the start of the pandemic.
The site’s homepage shows Bründel wearing a tinfoil hat connected through a web of electrical sparks to a tinfoil hat-wearing woman, whose laptop is decorated with stickers featuring a UFO, a call to “Free Julian Assange,” and a photo of a plane about to crash into the World Trade Centre.
The pandemic plays a key part in the conspiracy theorist scene, both on schwubeltreff and on another such service from Switzerland, which specifically serves anti-vaxers. Another German site was launched in 2015, and they naturally leaned hard into the pandemic; one Instagram post on the platform’s page reportedly read, “Back then: ‘Jews won’t be served here.’ Now: ‘Unvaccinated are not wanted.’”
For now, though, any American conspiracy theorists will have to make do with the conservative dating app The Right Stuff, which definitely hasn’t attracted a bunch of prankster progressive yuksters making fake accounts.
For the second time this offseason a perennial Pro Bowl corner is on the move to a contender in a trade. After Jalen Ramsey got dealt to Miami over the weekend, the Dallas Cowboys have beefed up their secondary opposite Trevon Diggs by sending a compensatory fifth round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for Stephon Gilmore, per Tom Pelissero and others.
As is always the case in NFL trades involving star players, the pick going back to the Colts feels far below the value of Gilmore on the field, but Indianapolis’ motivation in this deal is not to try and replace his production with the return but to simply clear cap space for what one assumes will be a bigger move elsewhere. Considering Indianapolis has a roster imbalance where most of their best players operate on the defensive side of the ball, it’s not a shock they’d move the talented veteran corner, likely with an eye on an offensive upgrade somewhere down the road this offseason.
For Dallas, it’s a seemingly terrific move, as they needed an upgrade opposite Diggs in the secondary and get another very good veteran corner to bolster their pass defense. While Gilmore might not be the same guy that won DPOY in 2019, he’s still got terrific length and physicality, coming off of a season with 66 tackles and a pair of interceptions in Indy, and will present quite the challenge for opposing offenses. Given the Cowboys terrific pass rush, adding another corner who can take advantage of QBs having to get rid of the ball quickly is a big boost and with Diggs on the other side, they figure to be very productive at turning opponents over.
Ever since the tragic accidental shooting on the set of Rust, Hollywood has had to finally start asking the tougher questions about on-set gun safety. Some productions have already found ways to keep things safe. Take the John Wick franchise. Those movies, of course, have a ton of gunplay, and yet no one has gotten hurt or killed making them. That’s because they use “electric guns,” where the sight of gunfire is added in in post via CGI. Why haven’t all productions pivoted to electric guns? John Wick director Chad Stahelski has a theory.
“My feeling is that there’s no reason to have a live firearm on set,” Shahelski told The Hollywood Reporterin a new interview, in which he also talked about taking a break from the series. “We can create cities and spaceships and Godzilla and all these things. We have the technology to do the same with firearms. But, for the last 100 years, Hollywood’s been using real firearms. And for prop houses, armorers or supply houses to switch over, it would make their entire stock of real firearms useless.
“It comes down to the fact that it would cost certain people a great deal of money to switch over,” he speculated. “No one wants to say that, but that’s the real reason. You don’t need firearms. The alternative is just going to cost you more money.”
Stahelski, who was a stuntman before he moved into directing, was good friends with Brandon Lee, perhaps the most famous performer to be killed by an on-set prop gun. (He was in fact his stunt double on The Crow.) He knows what it was like in the pre-electric gun days, when most productions had a less safe way of depicting gunplay.
“Back in the day, when it all started, they came up with blanks,” Stahelski explained. “A blank is a bullet without the projectile, but they couldn’t put you and me in the same shot, 5 feet apart, and one of us pull the trigger. The concussive force coming out at the end of the barrel would be enough to shatter your skull. Accidents like that did happen and people died because of it.”
Then, in the last decade, came electric guns, in which, Stahelski explained, it’s “impossible for anything to come out of the barrel and total CG.” He added, “That technology is out there for everybody.”
Perhaps now everyone in the industry making films where people shoot at each other will listen to the guy who’s directed four films where Keanu Reeves can’t stop shooting people in the head.
The gang is getting back together! And in this case, “gang” is referring to Texas darlings Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. The duo first starred alongside each other in HBO’s True Detective and will team up for a new series for AppleTV+ with a slightly different tone. Alright Alright Alright!
Schitt’s Creek alum David West Read is developing a currently-untitled series that will follow the two long-time friends as they try to cohabitate on McConaughey’s Texas ranch. While this isn’t the Yellowstone spinoff we were promised...it certainly sounds appealing. If anything, your dad will love it.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, The 10-episode series is expected to be a “heartfelt odd couple love story revolving around the strange and beautiful bond between Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. Matthew and Woody’s friendship is tested when their combined families attempt to live together on Matthew’s ranch in Texas.” As we all learned from 2020, it can be very hard to successfully live with people you supposedly like!
The series will be produced by the duo alongside David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Matt Thunell of Skydance, Bill Bost, and Jeremy Plager. We can thank Yellowstone for the uptick in ranch popularity, though a McConaughey and Harrelson comedy will probably feature less drama. But that doesn’t mean it won’t be weird.
Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.
While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.
Manchester Orchestra — The Valley Of Vision
Following enticing singles “Capital Karma” and “The Way,” Manchester Orchestra have unleashed the seismic project The Valley Of Vision, an album with a VR short film. Even without the visual accompaniment, the songs themselves breathe life like movie scenes. The tracks bleed into each other organically and dynamically, moving the listener through their sonic world with ease.
Joanna Sternberg — “I’ve Got Me”
Joanna Sternberg’s new single “I’ve Got Me” comes with the exciting announcement of an album of the same title. Self-reflection makes the song glow with inimitable insight: “And all my faults and flaws and lies / Are no one’s fault but mine / Between self-hatred and self-awareness / Is a very small, thin line.” Inspired by a Bukowski poem, “I’ve Got Me” is a thoughtful treat that previews a powerful LP.
Ratboys — “Black Earth, WI”
At eight and a half minutes, it could be easy for “Black Earth, WI” by Ratboys to lose the listener’s attention. However, the ruminative, enchanting track glimmers throughout with breezy guitars and hypnotic vocals painting a vivid story: “Oh, I was hypnotized / Caught up in the northern lights / Driving around in circles,” Julia Steiner sings.
Bartees Strange — “Daily News”
Bartees Strange’s songs always have a magnetic force to them that pulls the listener into an immersive place. “Daily News” does this exceptionally well as sweeping, twinkly guitars conjure an emotional whirlwind that his earnest vocals only amplify. The build-up is as powerful as you’d expect, bringing the song into an unforgettable catharsis.
Indigo De Souza — “Smog”
Indigo De Souza’s “Younger & Dumber” was a memorable first preview into her forthcoming album All Of This Will End. It moved delicately yet with an undeniable sharpness. “Smog” shows the singer playing with a dancey, upbeat atmosphere as the backdrop to her painfully relatable confessions: “I eat too much when I’m lonely / I bury everything / I wanna face it head on / But it’s so easy to turn it away,” she sings. Even in this more lighthearted setting, her lyricism hits just as hard.
Angel Olsen — “Nothing’s Free”
The aptly-titled Big Time was a special album for Angel Olsen. The singer’s twangy, visceral record confronted colossal emotions against stunning sonic landscapes. It turns out a lot was cut from that LP, so an EP called Forever Means is arriving next month, and “Nothing’s Free” is a beautiful peek into it. Right off the bat, the vulnerability is palpable and impactful: “Here it comes feel it break that old cell / The one you thought had kept you safe / But nothing’s free,” she sings achingly.
Hot Mulligan — “Shhhh! Golf Is On”
Hot Mulligan never miss. The Lansing, Michigan-based group always have invigorating pop-punk anthems with unpredictably funny titles to make up for the inconceivably depressing lyricism. “Shhhh! Golf Is On” is catapulted forward with sharp riffs and Nathan Sanville’s angsty vocals: “Can’t stand the fact I know where you are / Ten years, I still try to spot your car / When driving past your house / The taste of iron in my mouth.”
Tame Impala — “Wings Of Time”
For the upcoming movie, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Tame Impala shared the new song “Wings Of Time.” In typical Kevin Parker fashion, the track is dreamy and hallucinatory. His vocals glow as he sings poetic lines: “Do you see the wings of time? / Do you feel a sense of pride now?”
Unknown Mortal Orchestra — “Meshuggah”
We’re only a few days away from the release of V, the double album from Unknown Mortal Orchestra. “Meshuggah” is a compelling taste, warbling forward with distorted vocals and a warped, dizzy ambiance. The idiosyncratic sound pulls the listener into a new world; V is sure to be a rollercoaster.
The Hold Steady — “Understudies”
In January, The Hold Steady announced their forthcoming album The Price Of Progress with an unveiled the fiery lead single “Sideways Skull.” It’s only a couple of weeks before the release of that highly anticipated album, and they’ve unveiled “Understudies,” a more cinematic cut that shows off their storytelling: “This is showbiz / Hit the spotlight / If you really want to dance then put your shoes on,” Craig Finn narrates, telling a tale of artifice and dissatisfaction.
Drew Barrymore has been part of our public lives for more than 40 years. And while she has millions of fans, you’re bound to pick up some critics along the way.
These days, it’s easy to dismiss any sort of criticism as out of bounds, be it sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia and so on.
Which is why it’s easy to understand why one might assume that’s where Barrymore was going in her interview with trans influencer and activist Dylan Mulvaney.
Instead, the pair shared a powerful exchange, even kneeling on the floor where Barrymore felt the intimacy of their moment would be “safer.” They broke down what they’ve learned from their critics and how they’ve learned to move beyond other kinds of criticism that are only designed to cause harm.
Mulvaney sat down with Barrymore to discuss the inspiration behind her “365 Days of Girlhood” series, where Mulvaney posts daily social media videos documenting her transition.
Mulvaney acknowledged that she did receive some feedback from fellow trans celebrity Laverne Cox about how Mulvaney was handling her public transition. “She said to keep something private for myself,” Mulvaney said. “And I couldn’t agree more in the way that there were a few moments this year where I was like, ‘Was I actually ready to say that?’ But now, since meeting her, and having that moment, I go, ‘Okay, what would Laverne do?’ and I have actually stopped myself from making a few videos to make sure I was actually ready to talk about those things.”
Mulvaney then went on to explain that even when keeping some things private, she also tries to consider what her growing audience of fans gains from her videos.
“I think about if I was following myself on TikTok as a young kid, what would I want to hear?” Mulvaney told Barrymore, adding that the amount of support she has received was a complete surprise.
“I figured when I came out that I might have to go into hiding and then do all my surgeries privately and change my name and instead decided, hey, let me see if the world is willing to accept me this way from day one, and they did,” she said.
When asked how she dealt with negative comments online towards herself and the trans community, Mulvaney shared, “I think the greatest weapon that I can contribute is trans joy…I’m not somebody that is trying to do anything but be myself and be happy.”
Towards the end of the segment, Barrymore got on her knees to get closer to Mulvaney while explaining her own approach to handling criticism, comparing film reviews to today’s social media (“You are pretty much guaranteed a 50-50, some like it, some don’t.”) and going so far as to say her worst critic is still often herself.
The two sat on the floor together and shared a hug just before going to a commercial break.
“Thank you for joining me on the floor. The floor always feels safer,” Barrymore said.
While some people took issue with the exchange, in particular finding offense at Barrymore “kneeling” before Mulvaney (a quickly debunked claim), the exchange was in reality a positive, unifying example of how we can learn from some criticism while understanding when it’s better to simply let the outside voices go.
And it’s not like it’s the first time Barrymore has used her show to go deeper.
As one person was quick to point out, this is not the first time Barrymore has demonstrated this gesture and even provided pictures to prove it.
Obviously the people attacking Drew Barrymore for showing compassion & being on the floor has never seen her show. She literally does this with A LOT of guest to feel more connected & to make the interview feel less formal.
Actress Laura J Silverman, who claimed to work with Barrymore, attested that this kind of behavior was simply her MO.
“I worked with Drew Barrymore once and she really is that person—lovely, kind, generous, genuine; open hearted, interested, fun. Full of life. A lot of people would do well to emulate that.”
Others were quick to defend Barrymore’s actions, saying it spoke more to her humanity than anything else.
“Drew Barrymore is a sweet, honest, kind, human being who puts empathy, compassion, and the comfort of others first,” one person wrote.
“It’s beautiful when your childhood icons are actually decent people who care about Queer people,” another added.
Maybe you are a fan of the long-running movie series Saw,but every time you watch any of the (very many, often boring) sequels, you think to yourself, “Huh, what if the stakes were a little bit higher? And also, what if they were German?” This is probably what the director of Holy Sh*t! thought when they came up with the idea for a bathroom-related escape room type of movie. Also, there is a cute little bunny in the mix. Happy Spring!
Holy Sh*t! brings the scariest place to life: a porta-potty in the middle of a construction site. Nothing good happens in those. That’s where Frank wakes up, trapped and alone with nothing but his thoughts and poop. A classic predicament. Our guy frantically finds a way to exit said potty before the detonation begins. Here is the somehow official synopsis:
Architect Frank (Thomas Niehaus) regains consciousness in a locked portable toilet on a construction site where a detonation is being prepared. As he desperately tries to find ways of escaping this prison before potentially being blown to smithereens, he realizes who has put him into this predicament: none other than the corrupt and lecherous mayor Horst (Gedeon Burkhard) who also has designs on Frank‘s pregnant girlfriend Marie (Olga von Luckwald). Now Frank has to do everything in his power to get out alive, save his Marie and expose Horst‘s delusional crimes.
Does this movie sound a little bit like a Jackass sketch gone wrong? Sure. Will there be a lot of poop jokes? You bet! But hey, they tried something new, and that’s better than most movies right now.
Holy Sh*t! will debut on SCREAMBOX, the streamer from Bloody Disgusting, on March 21st. Coincidentally, this man does scream in a box quite a few times in this trailer, which you can watch above. It sure does give a new meaning to potty training, am I right?!?!?!
Freddie Prinze Jr. has opened up about his experience making the 1997 slasher film, I Know What You Did Last Summer, which he fully credits for launching his career and introducing him to his now-wife Sarah Michelle Gellar. Prinze is forever grateful for the film, but he also vividly remembers almost quitting Hollywood thanks to his experience with director Jim Gillespie.
According to Prinze, Gillespie was dead-set on casting Jeremy Sisto, but was ultimately overruled by the studio and writer Kevin Williamson. That did not bode well for Prinze.
“I’ll give the man this, I think his name is Jim, he made no bones about it. There was no passive aggressiveness — which I hate — he was very direct in the fact that, ‘I don’t want you in this movie,’” Prinze told TooFab. “So when that’s your first job and you hear those words, it just wrecks you, man. It just wrecks you.”
The situation continued to deteriorate during filming as Gillespie would make it a point to either single out Prinze or exclude him altogether while giving notes on scenes. Without co-stars Ryan Phillippe and Gellar offering him support, Prinze said he almost quit the picture. Via TooFab:
“So, when I did have those moments where the director was giving me psychotic notes, like ‘Don’t leave your mouth open. You look stupid when you do that’ — that was the exact note, word for word, I’ll never forget it — and I’m like, I’m either gonna break down or I have to beat this guy’s ass. Like those were the only two options in my head,” he continued. “I remember Ryan came up to me and was like, ‘Screw that guy, man. How many times did you audition for this movie?’ and I go, ‘Five times,’ he goes, ‘Yeah, you earned it. You didn’t get offered the role, you earned it.”
At the end of the day, Prinze is not angry about the film at all, and again, he credits it for helping him land other roles and for his marriage. He’s also thankful for Gillespie because every other director was a cakewalk after him.
“I’m forever grateful for Jim for being such an asshole because I’ve never met one like that since,” Prinze said. “I’ve been prepared for every lesser A-hole in the business.”
Jacques, the womanizing bowling instructor who taught Marge that brunch comes with a slice of cantaloupe at the end, is returning to The Simpsons over 30 seasons after his first appearance.
On Monday, showrunner Al Jean shared a still from Sunday’s episode, season 34’s “Pin Gal,” and teased, “Don’t nap on new episode Sunday. Pin Gal with the return of Jacques!” He also confirmed that the bowling alley Casanova from “Life on the Fast Lane” will be voiced once again by Albert Brooks.
As noted by the great On This Day in Simpsons History Twitter account, “It looks like this Sunday – for the first time in the show’s history – @AlbertBrooks is reprising one of his Simpsons characters: Jacques. For those keeping score, Brooks has guest-starred as a different character in 9 different episodes as well as the movie.” Hank Scorpio: only one episode (the all-timer, “You Only Move Twice,” which inspired a debate among Simpsons fans). Brad Goodman: only one episode. Russ Cargill: only one movie.
As for Jacques, he’s technically appeared in hundreds of episodes in the opening credits (and the mob scene in The Simpsons Movie), but “Life on the Fast Lane” was only his speaking role. Until “Pin Gal.” The Simpsons should bring Nelson’s goons next.
It looks like this Sunday – for the first time in the show’s history – @AlbertBrooks is reprising one of his Simpsons characters: Jacques. For those keeping score, Brooks has guest-starred as a different character in 9 different episodes as well as the movie. #TheSimpsonshttps://t.co/cbt2ThEf5Lpic.twitter.com/dfwu4OmxPJ
— On This Day in Simpsons History (@dailysimpsons) March 14, 2023
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