Los Angeles has traditionally prided itself in being ahead of entertainment trends that develop around the country. But the area has been a little bit behind in at least one: the reopening of drive-in theaters during the pandemic. While other states and even surrounding counties had allowed drive-ins to resume operation, Los Angeles County had
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The Telluride Film Festival is still on. The 47th edition of the prestigious fest will kick off on Thursday, Sept. 3, a day earlier than the usual first Friday of the month. “We’re contacting you today to let you know we’re hard at work to provide a safe and joyous environment that will include an
In today’s film news roundup, Gael García Bernal, Nazanin Boniadi and Jason Isaacs are starring in “People of the Book”; “Easy Does It” and “1 Interrogation” find distribution; NewFilmmakers Los Angeles goes virtual. CASTINGS “Mozart in the Jungle” star Gael García Bernal, Nazanin Boniadi (“Homeland”) and Jason Isaacs are attached to the historical drama “People of the
It’s a truism that satire is the sharpest way of critiquing society’s problems. Make an audience laugh as well as think, and you’ve hit your mark. The trick is knowing how deep to dig while finding that perfect balance of sly humor with unforced, sharp-eyed commentary. Prateek Vats’ unpretentious debut “Eeb Allay Ooo!” largely gets
If you’ve ever listened to Demi Lovato’s “I Love Me” and felt a pulse of pain during the chorus — when the singer belts, “Oh, why do I compare myself to everyone? / And I always got my finger on the self destruct” — you were likely experiencing some of what songwriter and producer Oak
Talk of sale activity around Paradigm is heating up again. Casey Wasserman of Wasserman is pursuing a deal for the company’s music-related assets. Ron Burkle’s Yucaipa Cos is also in the mix as an existing partner of Paradigm in some of its U.K. and European music holdings. Meanwhile, industry chatter about a Wasserman transaction spurred
Protesters took to the streets Friday in Los Angeles, New York City, San Jose, Atlanta, D.C. and other major hubs across the country following the death of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement officers in Minneapolis. In Atlanta, the protest began peacefully but took a destructive turn, as demonstrators smashed the doors of
Much like many other producers and showrunners, Ramy Youssef has spent his quarantine editing remotely, frantically trying to finish Season 2 of “Ramy” on time. Youssef submitted the final locked episodes on Tuesday, only three days ahead of the launch on May 29, and discussed the “intense experience” on the “Variety After-Show,” presented by National
Lecrae Devaughn Moore — better known simply as Lecrae — has always valued his independence. The Houston-based Christian hip-hop recording artist and producer, touched by matters of the sacred and the socially conscious, co-founded his independent record label, Reach Records, when he began dropping solo albums with 2004’s “Real Talk.” He maintained that autonomy up
HBO Max launched on Wednesday with the entire library of “Friends” as its cornerstone selling point. But for completists, HBO Max is still missing a component of the “Friends” Creative Universe: The spinoff series “Joey,” which is nowhere to be found on the new streaming service. An HBO Max spokesperson confirmed that the streamer hasn’t
Leaders of the Writers Guild of America have told the major studios that they need to improve their practices on diversity and inclusion as part of the guild’s negotiations on a new master TV and film contract. “For many years, some WGA writers have faced unfair discrimination based on factors that have nothing to do
Major Chinese production company and distributor Bona Film Group has this week established a new headquarters in the southern Chinese capital of Guangzhou. It has also announced three new major projects — all patriotic blockbusters that will likely align closely with the narratives authorities will be seeking to tell in 2021, a year that marks
Pearl Jam has unveiled a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the abstract music video for their single “Retrograde.” Released on May 14, the music video brings the issue of climate change to the forefront, featuring activist Greta Thunberg as a fortune teller revealing the earth’s dismal future through her crystal ball. Furthermore, the stills
In today’s TV News Roundup, Apple TV Plus announced the premiere date of its upcoming series “Ted Lasso,” and HBO Max announced it would accelerate the release schedule of “Love Life.” DATES Apple TV Plus has announced that is upcoming comedy series “Ted Lasso” will premiere on the streamer on August 14. The series follows
“Black-ish” star Tracee Ellis Ross has the coveted late-May weekend virtually to herself with “The High Note,” as summer studio releases hold back for a time when it’s safe to return to theaters. Still, if you’re caught up TV and looking for new movies worth seeing, there are enticing offerings on Netflix, Amazon and HBO
The Lighthouse International Film Festival in New Jersey has announced it has become the world’s first film festival to segue into a fully drive-in format in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival will run from June 16 through June 20 at a variety of locations around Long Beach Island. It announced its lineup of 10 features
The list of candidates for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 2020-2021 Board of Governors has been unveiled to members. Voting begins on June 1 and ends on June 5. Candidates run for three-year terms with a maximum of three terms. Each branch has three seats on the board. Only one of those
Months after Universal successfully relaunched its monster universe with Elisabeth Moss’s “The Invisible Man,” the studio is pushing ahead for “Wolfman” — which is being developed as a starring vehicle for Ryan Gosling — to be the next movie based on its catalog of iconic creatures. Sources tell Variety that executives at Universal have been
Tencent Holdings, is in talks to buy a stake in Warner Music Group as part of the record company’s initial public offering, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday. The paper citied “people familiar with the matter” as saying the Chinese internet giant is discussing an investment of $200 million ahead of WMG’s IPO, which was announced
Play video content Exclusive TMZ.com Music producer David Jassy says a magical thing happened while producing a mixtape inside San Quentin State Prison — rival gang members found common ground in their love for music. The award-winning producer, and ex-inmate at San Quentin, joined us Friday on “TMZ Live” to download us on his groundbreaking
SPOILER ALERT Do not read if you have not yet watched the series finale of “Defending Jacob,” streaming now on Apple TV Plus. Apple TV Plus’ adaptation of “Defending Jacob” ends with closure regarding the murder case in which the titular character is embroiled, but not necessarily justice, let alone the ultimate truth. Jacob Barber
As the country moves closer toward a reopening that we all hope will not be regretted, the Recording Academy’s Producers and Engineers Wing has shared a list of considerations for reopening studios. The organization stresses that the considerations are not meant to supersede local guidelines, but rather complement them with specifics for the recording industry,
Check out the official Irresistible trailer starring Steve Carell! Let us know what you think in the comments below. ► Sign up for a Fandango FanAlert for Irresistible: https://www.fandango.com/irresistable-2020-222275/movie-overview?cmp=MCYT_YouTube_Desc Want to be notified of all the latest movie trailers? Subscribe to the channel and click the bell icon to stay up to date. Home Release
California Gov. Gavin Newsom addressed at length the death of George Floyd in his Friday address. The visibly emotional Newsom shared some difficult conversations he has been having with his children about Floyd’s death on May 25. Derek Chauvin, a Minneapolis police officer who has since been fired, was charged Friday with third-degree murder and
SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not seen the series finale of “Defending Jacob” on Apple TV Plus. “Defending Jacob” reached its explosive conclusion this week, which began with Jacob (Jaeden Martell) being set free after Leonard Patz (Daniel Henshall) was found dead in an apparent suicide. Patz left behind a note taking
President Donald Trump gave a press conference on Friday, where many expected him to address the riots taking place in Minnesota sparked by George Floyd’s death. However, Trump focused entirely on China and the coronavirus. The main takeaway from his speech is his intent to pull the United States out of the World Health Organization,
The Television Academy and ABC are getting closer to announcing how this year’s Emmy Awards will be presented. Insiders confirm that there will be more clarity on the telecast by next month. Normally by this time, an Emmy producer will have already been hired, with plans underway for the September telecast. A host is also
“Meat the Future” is a slightly goofy title for a film that takes its subject very, very seriously. The wordplay feels like a token flourish of whimsy in Liz Marshall’s quietly educational documentary about the rise of alternative, environmentally friendly but still animal-based meat, as if to gently beckon carnivorous viewers who might be expecting
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has approved a variance for Los Angeles County to reopen restaurants for in-person dining as well as salons and barber shops. Restaurants in Los Angeles County can reopen as soon as Friday, provided they meet health guidelines, which will be on the honor system. Gov. Newsom has recently relaxed state social
Disney Plus has renewed the scripted series “Diary of a Future President” for a second season. The second season will consist of 10 episodes like the first, with the first season having premiered in January. The series follows the adventures of Elena Cañero-Reed as she navigates the ups and downs of middle school on her