Keep scrolling for more recent entertainment news and reviews.Β Plus, give our Streamed & Screened podcast a listen:
A little criticism: Jodie Foster speaks up, gets 'True Detective' changes
When Jodie Foster was offered a role in the new season of βTrue Detectiveβ she wasnβt afraid to offer criticism.
βI said some scary things like, βI donβt like that,ββ Foster says. βAnd then I left town.β
Producers werenβt afraid to listen to what she had to say.
βShe absolutely doesnβt bull---- you,β Producer/director Issa Lopez says.
As much as Foster likes playing strong women, she thought the character needed flaws. So Lopez rewrote the character and realized sheβd also need to rewrite the other detective.
βAnd the script just became better,β Lopez says. βEvery time you receive a good note is an opportunity to completely overhaul and take the story to the next level.β
Thrilled with the changes, the two-time Oscar-winning Foster signed on and was paired with Kali Reis as detectives investigating the disappearance of eight men from a research station in Ennis, Alaska.
Read more:
***
REVIEW: 'Mean Girls' still teases but there's lots of squandered opportunity
Tina Fey has gotten more than a little mileage out of βMean Girlsβ: Two movies, a Broadway musical and who knows what else is possible.
In the latest iteration β a filmed version of the Broadway musical β she adds new lines and a slightly different take. But itβs still about the girls who rule high school. At North Shore High, thatβs the Plastics (as theyβre not-so-lovingly called by fellow students) who make others fearful of their power.
Read more:
***
Playing with reality: Charles Melton goes beyond the tabloids for 'May December'
To land a role in βMay December,β Charles Melton spent six hours doing a self-tape.
βI probably had seven days to do my self-tape and I just dove in immediately,β Melton says. βI was talking with my coach, watching films, talking to my therapist about human emotionsβ¦.and I completely exhausted myself.β
The result was an understated performance that βfelt like it wasnβt just the lines I was saying.β
Director Todd Haynes gave him a series of notes, urging Melton to show more emotion βbecause I was trying to show almost nothing.β
Read more:
***
Getting it right: How Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone researched 'Killers' roles
Leonardo DiCaprio says he felt a great deal of responsibility getting βKillers of the Flower Moonβ right.
βThis was a very dark chapter in American history,β he says of the Osage Nation murders depicted in the film. βWe needed to tell the story correctly and that meant we had to listen.β
Before and during filming, DiCaprio, co-star Lily Gladstone and director Martin Scorsese sought the advice of the Osage community and pored over considerable research compiled by author David Grann.
βThe Osage are still affected by this moment in history,β he says. βWe just knew it was our job and our responsibility to listen and get their perspective. A lot of those meetings (resulted in) the movie that you see today.β
Read more:
***
REVIEW: Emmy Awards were among the best
If theyβre compiling lists for next yearβs Emmy Awards, they might want to include the 75th trophy fest as a nominee for the best variety special.
Airing Monday night (after Sunday's Critics Choice awards and last week's Golden Globes), it faced an uphill battle, trying to get eyes to look at the same people handing out awards to the same people.
But, darn, if the producers didnβt pull it off. The program was one of the most entertaining in years.
The reason: They brought back stars from old series to serve as presenters. In the process, they recreated some of the showsβ sets, mentioned their Emmy track records and gave the night a bit of nostalgia, particularly for those unfamiliar with the shows that were winning.
Read more:
***
DVD REVIEW: 'Bass Reeves' brings out passion in David Oyelowo
You can see David Oyelowoβs passion coming through in βLawmen: Bass Reeves.β
In even the quietest scenes, he exudes determination β not unlike the character.
Considered a life role for the actor, βBass Reevesβ is an intense look at one of the first Black U.S. deputy marshals west of the Mississippi. Determined to uphold justice, he encounters corruption everywhere and, through it all, remains devoted to his family.
Itβs almost too good to be true.
Read more:
Movies in a minute with film critic Bruce Miller
Movies in a Minute: "Lisa Frankensteinβ
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says βLisa Frankensteinβ is a light romp in a dark, dark world. But it could have been a wild wallow in an era that was packed with possibilities.
Movies in a Minute: βThe Greatest Night in Popβ
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says βThe Greatest Night in Popβ is a wonderful slice of history that shows what happens when stars check their egos at the door and produce something iconic.
Movies in a Minute: "Poor Things"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Poor Things" may be one of the most bizarre films of the year, but it's also a springboard for some of the best acting work of the year.
Movies in a Minute: Best Actress nominee Sandra Huller
UpdatedSandra Huller, who stars in two Best Picture nominees, "Anatomy of a Fall," and "The Zone of Interest," is also nominated for Best Actress for her role in the former. Movie critic Bruce Miller calls Huller's performances incredible and says her Best Actress nomination is one of the most deserving honors of the year.
Movies in a Minute: "Mean Girls"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Mean Girls" has a problem with the translation to the big screen. Here, itβs darker and, somehow, more serious.
Movies in a Minute: "Anyone But You"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Anyone But You" isnβt as fun or as snarky as you want it to be. Itβs just a chance for it stars to try something new without making a huge mistake.
Movies in a Minute: "The Color Purple"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "The Color Purple" is an all-singing all-dancing extravaganza that sometimes overshadows the story of Celie, but it's a powerful film that packs a punch.
Movies in a Minute: "The Iron Claw"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "The Iron Claw" is a fascinating slice of life that suggests all the fame in the world may look great but it canβt replace a little parental love.
Movies in a Minute: "Wonka"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Wonka,β the prequel to βWilly Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,β is just as delightful as the original.
Movies in a Minute: "May December"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "May December" goes deeper than any investigative story and hurts more than a well-timed social media post.
Movies in a Minute: "Wish"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says Disney's "Wish" has so many mediocre references to past animated films it canβt help but pale in comparison.
Movies in a Minute: "Next Goal Wins"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Next Goal Wins" is largely a matter of how you define βwinning.β Unfortunately, the story is so scattered itβs hard to find the momentum.
Movies in a Minute: "The Marvels"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "The Marvels" is not very interesting. The three crime fighters take on a baddie looking for a second bracelet but universal domination shouldnβt be the goal of everyone in a superhero movie.
Movies in a Minute: "The Holdovers"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "The Holdovers" is a holiday movie with some rougher edges. Despite being bathed in the glow of nostalgia, βThe Holdoversβ is brutally real about human relationships.
Movies in a Minute: "Five Nights at Freddy's"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Five Nights at Freddy's" is like something youβd find on Nickelodeon over Halloween weekend. It isn't a chilling gore fest. It tests the nerves but it doesnβt fry the brain.
Movies in a Minute "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" is spectacular and easy to watch, though it may be a long sit for some viewers. Swift's lyrics hit the target right in the heart.
Movies in a Minute: "Killers of the Flower Moon"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Killers of the Flower Moonβ is true cinema. Itβs art in its highest form that never fails to entertain.
Movies in a Minute: "The Exorcist: Believer"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller calls the "The Exorcist: Believer" a respectful reboot but definitely not a head turner.
Movies in a Minute: "Fair Play"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Fair Play" is easily one of the most compelling films of the year.
