#Josh Jacobson

[mockingjaysnakes]

On February 13th, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes will get its physical media release!!

including:

4K Ultra HD Combo Pack.

Blu-ray combo pack, and DVD.

Walmart will also have an exclusive 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook edition featuring Lucy Gray and Coriolanus Snow cover art.

the home media release for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will include different special features for the different formats, including an 8-part making-of documentary for the film’s 4K UHD and Blu-ray versions. 🐍🕊🌹

[itskeisy]

The cast and crew of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in London doing presstour 🇬🇧

[xshipper]

Sorry, I was just so nervous and happy, I'm really not good in doing selfies! But hey I got them at the #worldpremiere of #TheHungerGames #tbosas in #Berlin:

Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Josh Andrés Rivera, Sofia Sanchez, Francis Lawrence and the one and only Nina Jacobson who made all this possible.

[theaddictedwatcher]

Hello everyone!

I'm here today to introduce you to the series chosen by the winner of the last bonus article (on Instagram, @theaddictedwatcherreviews). Created by Matt Groening (The Simpsons, Futurama, The Tracy Ullman Show) and Josh Weinstein (The Simpsons, Futurama, Gravity Falls), this animated series for adults was released on Netflix in 2018 and will run until its conclusion in 2023. Made up of 50 episodes spread over three seasons, the series and its dark humour have won the hearts of audiences and critics alike. I'm talking about Disenchantment, of course!

First, as always, a short synopsis: Set in the fictional medieval kingdom of Dreamland, the series follows the story of the adventurous, rebellious and alcoholic Princess Bean, her "personal demon" Luci and her elf companion Elfo. The three of them explore Dreamland and other neighbouring lands, discovering a mythical conspiracy to which Bean is the key… And a little technical presentation: - Created by Matt Groening and Josh Weinstein - Music by Mark Mothersbaugh - Starring : Abbi Jacobson, Eric André, Nat Faxon, John DiMaggio, Tress MacNeille, Matt Berry, Maurice LaMarche, Sharon Horgan

This review is going to be a little shorter than usual, not because I didn't enjoy the show, I really did, but because I don't have that much to say about it.

GENRE

With Disenchantment, Matt Groening wanted to create an adventure in a medieval fantasy world that would allow him to move away from the very distinctive universes he had previously created with The Simpsons - set in our current world, but more centred on the United States in the 1990s - and Futurama - set in a futuristic world. So he mixed several genres in his writing, creating a unique blend that differentiates it from other animated series:

Fantasy: The main setting of the series is a medieval fantasy world called Dreamland, which includes magical creatures (elves, demons, mermaids), spells and mythical elements. The fantasy aspects allow for a creative construction of the world and the plot.

Humour: The humorous tone of the series is a key element, ranging from slapstick to dark comedy and satire. It often parodies fantasy tropes and medieval settings, using both puns and visual gags.

Adventure: Characters often embark on quests and journeys, exploring new lands and facing various challenges. These adventures drive the plot and character development.

Drama: As the series progresses, it incorporates more dramatic elements, exploring deeper themes and emotional intrigue. The relationships between the characters and their personal development become increasingly important and, by giving them depth, help to move the plot forward.

Satire: The show often satirises modern issues through its fantasy lens, criticising social norms, politics and human nature.

Science Fiction: While primarily a fantasy series, the show sometimes incorporates science fiction elements, especially in later seasons, with time travel and advanced technology in a medieval setting.

Mystery: Revelations about characters' pasts add an element of mystery to the show and help move the plot forward. Conspiracy theories and hidden truths are ubiquitous in the story.

Coming of age: Bean's journey of self-discovery and growth gives the show a very human dimension that viewers can relate to. This aspect becomes more important as the show progresses.

Adult Animation: While not as explicit as other adult animated series, Disenchantment deals with mature themes and contains mature content, both in its humour and in the themes of the story.

The mix of these genres allows Disenchantment to appeal to a wide range of viewers and to explore different storytelling styles. It differs from Matt Groening's previous work in that it relies more heavily on serialised storytelling, running throughout the series rather than episodically. It also relies more heavily on fantasy elements, while still retaining its signature humorous style.

While the balance between comedy and more serious elements is sometimes uneven, the show's ability to move from light comedy to more dramatic moments has often been seen as both a strength and a challenge in maintaining a consistent tone.

HUMOR

The humour in Disenchantment is multi-faceted, drawing on a variety of comedic styles. It uses sarcasm and wit, particularly in Luci's dialogue and Bean's quips, which are often used to subvert expectations or comment on absurd situations. Comedy derived from the personality traits and quirks of the main characters is also very present. Elfo's naivety, Luci's cynicism and Bean's rebelliousness are frequent sources of humour. Anachronisms refer to modern sensibilities and, when used in a medieval fantasy setting, allow humour to be created through the contrast between contemporary ideas and the period in which the series is set. The background jokes and visual gags are reminiscent of Matt Groening's other work and help to break up a dramatic situation. There are also small rewards for the attentive viewer in the form of hidden jokes and Easter eggs from Matt Groening's other works, as well as other pop culture creations. While the pop culture references are present, some viewers felt that they were not as clever or numerous as in Futurama, which had set the bar very high for this type of humour in animated series.

Dark humour, when used wisely, often allows morbid subjects or unfortunate events to be dealt with in a lighter way. It helps to create a balance between fantastical elements and a more adult tone, to counterbalance the tragic side of certain events, but also the very absurd touch of certain jokes. Indeed, the series exploits the bizarre and illogical aspects of its fantasy setting for comedic purposes, exaggerating the absurdity of these aspects and often taking situations to extreme or unexpected conclusions in order to make people laugh. However, the combination of dark humour and lighter jokes is sometimes awkward and creates moments of imbalance that can disrupt the viewer's appreciation.

The show sometimes breaks the fourth wall or makes self-referential jokes about the conventions of storytelling to remind the viewer of their status as witnesses and the show of its status as entertainment. Matt Groening does not hesitate to poke fun at fantasy tropes and medieval settings. It is often a social commentary on contemporary issues - such as LGBT acceptance or feminism - through the prism of fantasy. Its clever use of language and puns, particularly on proper names, are among the many devices used to construct the show's humour. It often incorporates multi-layered jokes and running gags that develop over the course of episodes or seasons. These help to create a sense of continuity and reward long-time viewers. Finally, the show also uses slapstick, which is a style of humour that goes beyond the boundaries of normal physical comedy, often involving the misfortune or clumsiness of the characters.

Overall, Disenchantment's humour is more mature and complex than typical animated films and series, while still maintaining broad appeal through its blend of comedy and humour. The series has been praised for its clever writing and ability to blend different comedic styles. However, other critics have noted that the humour is very different from that of Futurama and The Simpsons and did not appeal to them. The balance between humour and more serious, plot-driven elements has also been debated, with some feeling that the comedy has sometimes taken a back seat to the storytelling in later seasons.

In addition, some have felt that many of the jokes are too obvious or rely on tired tropes, especially when compared to the innovative humour of Futurama or the early seasons of The Simpsons. Although anachronistic humour is a staple of the show, some felt that it was overused or not always executed effectively.

After that, it should be noted that humour is subjective, and that the qualities and flaws listed above are only what I have been able to notice, but also feedback I have been able to get from people who have seen the series, and of course everyone is free to have a different opinion on any of the points mentioned.

THE ANIMATION STYLE

The animation style of Disenchantment is very recognisable and shares some similarities with Matt Groening's other works, while also having its own elements. Indeed, as in Futurama or The Simpsons, the characters have some similar physical characteristics, such as bulging eyes or a prominent upper jaw. However, the characters are more detailed and varied, with a greater variety of body types and characteristics. The characters' facial expressions are also more varied and nuanced than in The Simpsons and Futurama. This allows for more complex emotions to be conveyed through smoother animation, and also favours the show's most dramatic moments. Clothing and accessories are also more complex, in keeping with the fantasy setting.

Speaking of fantasy, the show uses a rich and vibrant colour palette that is more suited to the setting. It has a wider range of colours than The Simpsons, with more subtle shading and lighting effects. It also incorporates magical effects and fantasy elements not found in Matt Groening's other shows, using digital effects to enhance traditional animation techniques. The show also uses more advanced lighting techniques to create a different mood and atmosphere from Futurama and The Simpsons. The use of shadows and colour gradients helps to enhance the fantasy setting. The 16:9 widescreen backgrounds allow for very detailed visuals that also help to bring the medieval fantasy setting to life in a more elaborate and varied way than in Matt Groening's previous works. They reflect a more varied palette of locations and a better incorporation of magical elements. They also often contain jokes or hidden references.

On a more technical level, the series takes advantage of its fantasy setting to create imaginative and visually striking sequences. As with Futurama, the animation of the series was entrusted to Rough Draft Studios, and there are many similarities between the two work. It is further distinguished from The Simpsons, which is animated by various animation studios, including Rough Draft. The action scenes are more dynamic and elaborate than in Matt Groening's previous works. Although primarily in 2D, the series occasionally incorporates 3D elements for specific effects or scenes, and maintains a consistent style throughout the series, with gradual improvements over time.

The animation style of Disenchantment has been praised for its attention to detail, particularly in the background and character designs. The style effectively supports the comedic and more serious aspects of the series, allowing for expressive character performances and immersive world-building. Disenchantment's animation can also be seen as an evolution of Matt Groening's style, adapted to modern techniques and a fantastical setting.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

The character development in Disenchantment is generally considered to be one of the strengths of the series, especially as it progressed.

I won't go into the development of every single character, as that would take far too long, but I will at least touch on the work done on the three central characters of the series.

[SLIGHT SPOILERS]

First, Bean - whose full name is Tiabeanie Mariabeanie de la Rochambeau Grunkwitz - begins the series as a rebellious and alcoholic princess, running away from her responsibilities and desperate for freedom. Her impulsiveness and ability to make bad choices are emphasised in order to exacerbate the character's future development. In fact, through the adventures she will have and the discoveries she will make, she will become a more responsible and self-aware character.

Her friendships with Elfo and Luci help her to develop emotionally, learn loyalty and trust, and encourage her to excel. In addition, Bean's complicated relationships with her father, King Zøg, and her mother, Queen Dagmar, are crucial points in her development. Between Zøg's expectations of his princess daughter and heir, and Dagmar's manipulations, she is led to a more nuanced understanding of family. Her romantic experiences contribute to her character development, as they also help her to understand herself better and influence her decisions. She is faced with many ethical dilemmas, and through all these experiences she shows an evolution in her values, but also in her strength of character. Still as stubborn as ever, she ends up assuming her share of responsibilities and her role as leader but always on her own terms. Her struggles with identity, relationships, and magical abilities are relatable to the audience, and the quality of the performance by Abbi Jacobson—who voices Bean—highlights the character's ambivalence, fragility, strengths, and evolution. Bean's evolution is one of the show's strong points, thanks to the depth that has been given to her character over time. Her transformation from a one-dimensional party girl to a complex, multifaceted character with real struggles and triumphs is often cited as one of the show's strong points.

Then, the development of Luci -Lucifer- is quite interesting and unique in its kind because of its demonic nature. He is presented to us as Bean's personal demon sent to corrupt her and cause chaos and is therefore portrayed as a sarcastic and Machiavellian character regularly encouraging Bean in her worst ways.

However, as the series progresses and his relationship with Bean and Elfo develops, Luci's character begins to question his original goal and his loyalty to his demon master in order to gain his independence. This internal conflict allows us to show that the character is able to develop his moral sense beyond what he initially expected. Although he remains a demon throughout the series, it is interesting to see this ambiguity settle in him, because through his journey the viewer can see that there can be good and bad in everyone. Thanks to his sarcasm and this evolution, Luci is one of the audience's favourite characters, and Eric André's interpretation perfectly underlines this duality of comic and sentimental character. In fact, the evolution of his morals and his attachment to Bean and Elfo over the last few seasons is a perfect illustration of the journey he has taken. However, I find that in the last season the character seems more erased, more absent, and that's a shame for a character who has had one of the biggest developments in the series.

Finally, the character of Elfo! Elfo's development over the course of Disenchantment has received mixed reactions, as some viewers initially found Elfo to be one-dimensional and too naive, but his constant optimism and innocence are endearing and potentially annoying. The exploration of his origins and half-elf heritage added depth to his character and provided a context for his behaviour and outlook. Over time, Elfo has shown more complexity, dealing with issues of identity and belonging. As such, his gradual loss of innocence and assertiveness has made the character less polished and therefore more interesting. At the beginning of the series, Elfo's role was mainly to be a source of humour, but also a receptacle for Bean's doubts. But as the story progressed and he developed, his naivety gave way to more nuanced comedic moments, and while it was interesting to see him develop, the lighter side he brought was sometimes lacking. His relationship with Bean also contributed greatly to the character's maturity.

Indeed, Elfo's unrequited love for Bean was a troubling aspect of the story for me, as it came out of nowhere and seemed a little forced at first, but I am aware that some found it endearing and were able to relate to it. Personally, I found it mostly a repetitive motif and one that hindered his personal development. However, his relationships with Bean and Luci were crucial to his development and helped to highlight his growth. Overall, Elfo's journey of self-discovery, particularly regarding his heritage and place in the world, was seen as an important aspect of his arc. As he faces more complex situations, his responses to moral dilemmas add depth to his character and help to show that he has matured over the course of the series. He becomes more than just a naive sidekick, but at times his development can feel overshadowed by Bean's 'bigger' arc.

[END OF SPOILERS]

Other characters such as King Zøg, Queen Dagmar or Oona have had very interesting developments that deserve to be developed, but I don't want to say too much about them so as not to completely spoil the story for those who want to watch the series. I would just like to point out that even the secondary characters have had the right to develop their personalities and their stories, and that this has made them endearing and important characters for the development of the story.

This is a credit to the show, which has been praised for allowing characters to change and grow over time, unlike the more static characters in most of Matt Groening's work. However, there have been times during the series when character development has been sacrificed to the needs of the plot, to the detriment of certain characters' development. Nevertheless, the exploration of family dynamics, particularly Bean's relationship with her parents, is one of the show's greatest strengths.

THE END OF THE SERIES

I will not, of course, recount the events leading up to the end of the series, but I would like to briefly share my feelings.

The second part of the fourth season, released on Netflix in 2023, concludes the series. Although it attempts to wrap up most of the major plots and character arcs, I felt that some stories were rushed, trying to wrap up too many storylines in too short a time. Despite the attempts at closure, some plot points or mysteries were left unresolved or explained in a shaky way.

Nevertheless, the development of the characters and the emotional impact of the resolution of some of their plots resonated with me, particularly in relation to friendship, intra-family relationships and mental health.

The balance between humour and more serious plot elements in the finale seems rather uneven, but the fact remains that these two key elements of the series remain present throughout the story and contribute to the very specific construction of Matt Groening's works.

Although the main story has come to an end - whatever one thinks of the ending - some aspects of the ending have left room for possible future stories. As is often the case with series endings, opinions will vary greatly depending on the viewer's expectations, but for me it left me a little hungry for more, with unanswered questions and an ending that felt a little forced on the audience.

MUSIC

Disenchantment's soundtrack plays an important role in establishing the atmosphere of the series and enhancing its narrative. Composed by Mark Mothersbaugh (The Rugrats, The LEGO Movie), the soundtrack blends medieval fantasy-inspired music with more contemporary elements. It uses a mix of orchestral arrangements and electronic components, reflecting the series' blend of traditional fantasy and modern humour. It also helps to bridge the gap between the show's medieval fantasy setting and humour and more contemporary themes.

The opening theme is a medieval-style instrumental that sets the tone for the fantasy setting, but also incorporates elements that evoke both the fantasy and darker aspects of the series.

Several characters are associated with musical motifs that recur throughout the series, often evolving with the characters to reflect their development.

The music shifts effectively from comical to adventurous to darker tones to match the different moods of the series. Occasionally, there is music in the world, such as minstrel songs or tavern shows, which adds to the medieval atmosphere. Although not a musical series, Disenchantment occasionally features original songs to add to the narrative or humour.

CONCLUSION

There has been no official announcement regarding the confirmation of a sequel or spin-off to Disenchantment to address the open-ended aspects of the ending. However, Matt Groening and the show's creators have not publicly ruled out the possibility of revisiting the world, without providing further information about the possibility. Netflix, which streamed the series, has also not made any statement regarding the continuation of the series or ordering a sequel, despite the demand from fans of the series.

As for me, although the unanswered questions leave me with a slightly bitter taste, I would not want to see a new season of Disenchantment see the light of day for fear that, like too many shows, it would drag out the original story and make the series lose all the effectiveness that lay in its original writing. Why not, on the other hand, a medium-length animated film to tie up the loose ends without starting new ones that would not necessarily be needed.

All in all, I really enjoyed this series, which brings a bit of madness and freshness to our everyday lives, while at the same time dealing with themes that a large part of the audience can relate to, and also using humour to talk about social issues such as feminism and ecology.

It seems to me that I have covered everything I could possibly say about Matt Groening and Josh Weinstein's Disenchantment, so I will leave you for now and return to my viewing!

For those of you who are going to try to watch it, or who have watched it, do not hesitate to tell me what you thought of it!

As always, you can follow my adventures and the next polls on Instagram (@theaddictedwatcherreviews). I am always open to feedback and suggestions, so feel free to drop me a line if you like!

Have a good week, good viewing and see you soon!

Eli

[yoursinharmony]

Watch "Your Man - Josh Turner (acapella) VoicePlay ft. Anthony Gargiula" on YouTube

😍😍😍

[thestarlightforge]

If the franchise were in worse hands—if it were Star Wars, or Avengers, or even Warner Bros DC—I would say something like “if this happens, I’ll riot.”

But let’s be real, y’all. Suzanne Collins is not letting this happen. Rachel Zegler and Josh Andrés Rivera were Lucy Gray Baird and Sejanus Plinth. Yeah—Katniss, Haymitch and Gale were all whiter than they should’ve been. But be serious: Logan Paul? In the Suzanne Collins adaptation about propaganda? Francis Lawrence and Nina Jacobson would never.

I got curious and was looking up one of my Haymitch’s speedpaints analytics on TikTok and I saw this-

IM BEGGING PLEASE SOMEONE TELL ME THIS ISNT A THING 😭😭😭 I CANT COPE IF PEOPLE ARE FANCASTING YOUNG HAYMITCH AS LOGAN PAUL IM DYING

PLEASE TELL ME THIS IS A JOKE 🙏

[thesymphonytrue]

Ten Questions

Instructions: prev asks ten questions and you answer them, then ask ten new ones and tag ten people to keep the chain going!

Thanks for the tag @aragarna!! <3

Favorite movie/tv show of 2024?

Favorite Movie was definitely Wicked. (lol if you can't tell by my blog recently LOL) It is probably my favorite movie I've seen in the past ten years to be honest! Maybe my favorite movie ever. 👀

2. Favorite movie/tv show of all times?

I mean, if I'm being honest, it might end up being Wicked. I loved the musical, but I didn't obsess over it as a teen (besides learning all the songs lol), but the movie is just something special. It has a magic to it and every single ingredient I need for a favorite movie: fantastic singing AND acting (they got singers who could act and that is SO important for a musical), morally gray characters, beautiful set, diverse cast, excellent plot, and PLATONIC SOULMATES (my weakness) (and yes, I kno in canon and in the book they could be more than platonic and I'm fine with that too, but their relationship in the musical is so beautiful).

For TV show, of course, WHITE COLLAR!

3. Favorite book?

oh I have so many! This is very hard so I will go with the favorite one I read in 2024 and that would be The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue--the combination of exploring art throughout the years and also how one makes a "mark" in the world was so well done and VE Schwab is just such an excellent writer---love all her books.

4. Do you read or watch non-fictions?

I do! I try to read 4-5 nonfiction books per year. This year I read "Nuclear War" by Annie Jacobson (it was terrifying) and a few self-help books (lol) and some parenting books (I'm trying my best, it's so hard).

5. DVD, streams or downloads?

I do like the old fashioned DVD, but we stream everything these days and I will say not having to store DVDs is great.

6. What is the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?

I am such a plain eater---I am not adventurous at all so this is probably super dull, but Caviar LOL and it was delicious! *muah!*

7. If you were rich enough not to have to work, what would you do?

I would totally sing in broadway shows. 😭

8. Dream place to visit one day?

I have always wanted to explore France outside of Paris, as Paris is the only place I have ever been in France! Perhaps somewhere by the coast? Nice maybe? Like I said, I know very little outside of Paris and would love to explore!

9. Someone (dead or alive) you'd love to spend a one-on-one hour with?

Oh my. There are few people I know that I would spend one-on-one for an hour without feeling socially nervous LOL 😂 HOWEVER---I would love to spend an hour with Julie Andrews teaching me how to sing, dance, act, etc. Now, that, I could do. 😉 Or an hour singing duets WITH Josh Groban hahah I'd love that too. 🤣 No talking required.

10. Aspirations, resolutions for 2025?

hmmm! Well, a big aspiration is just to accept myself more I guess? I've always struggled with a negative self-image and self-hatred and I'm really tire of it. I'd love to love myself a little bit this year.

On a lighter note, I'd love to figure out a way to sing more. I just don't know how.

NEW QUESTIONS:

Favorite song you listened to this year?

What's something you are really good at?

What is something that makes you smile?

Favorite place to relax?

Best book you read this year?

Favorite hot drink?

Comfort item?

Favorite way to be creative?

Mountains or Beach and why?

Favorite thing about yourself? <3

Okay, no pressure tagging:

@twisted-tales-told @ssk374 @bluebellsinburbank @babydollbucky @idkimoutofideas and whoever would like to participate!!

[cover-art-showdown]

Round One, Match XX

Anne of Green Gables (L. M. Montgomery), Tundra Books 2000. Cover by Laura Fernandez & Rick Jacobson.

Feet of Clay (Terry Pratchett), Victor Gollancz 1996. Cover by Josh Kirby.

[motherofplatypus]

Bisan Owda is a journalist in Gaza that keeps updating about the barbaric genocide actions that israel committed with weapons supplied mainly by US, all the while living through that genocide itself.

Over 30k+ has been killed, and over 15k+ of those are children and babies.

The celebs and artists who wanted to rescind Bisan's nomination are as follow:

Ari Ingel, Executive Director, Creative Community for Peace

David Renzer, Former Chairman/CEO Universal Music Publishing Group, CCFP Chairman & Co-Founder

Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive & Music President, Electronic Arts, CCFP Co-Founder

Rakefet Abergel, Actor/Director, Cyclamen Films

Orly Adelson, Former President of ITV Studios, America

Marty Adelstein, CEO, Tomorrow Studios

Anne-Marie Asner, Co-Founder, Animation Israel

Jeff Astrof, TV Producer/Showrunner, Other Shoe Productions

Michael Auerbach, Partner, Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner Auerbach Hynick Jaime LeVine Sample & Klein

Dean Bahat, Attorney, Ziffren Brittenham

Andrea Ballas, VP Comms, CBS

Jackie Barrie, A&R Manager, Nvak Collective

Richard Baskind, Partner & Head of Music, Simons Muirhead & Burton

Aton Ben-Horin, Executive VP of Global A&R, Atlantic Records Group

Steven Bensusan, President, Blue Note Entertainment Group

Adam Berkowitz, Founder and President, Lenore Entertainment Group

Sharon Bialy, Casting Director, Bialy/Thomas & Associates

Josh Binder, Co-Founder and Partner, Rothenberg Mohr & Binder, LLP

Neil Blair, Founding Partner, The Blair Partnership

Selma Blair, Actress, Author, Advocate, Sainted Productions

Rebecca Blumberg, SVP Ad Sales, Paramount

Evan Bogart, Songwriter & CEO, Seeker Music

Benjamin Budde, CEO, Budde Group GmbH

Bruce Burger, Producer, RebbeSoul

David Byrnes, Attorney, Ziffren Brittenham

Civia Caroline, Social Impact Consultant, CLiC Impact

Pamela Charbit, Director of A&R, Warner Music Group

Emmanuelle Chriqui, Actor, Yellow Ray Entertainment

Leanne Coronel, Talent Manager, The Coronel Group

Raye Cosbert, Managing Director, Metropolis Musi

Paul Craig, Ceo, Nostromo Management

Doug Davis, NATAS Member, 2x Emmy winner, The Davis Firm

Rebecca De Mornay, Actor

Jamie Denbo, Co-Executive Producer, Grey’s Anatomy, ABC/Disney

Josh Deutsch, Chairman/CEO, Premier Music Group

Avi Diamond, Director, Film/TV Sync, Warner Music Canada

Craig Dorfman, President and Owner, Frontline MGMT

Rachel Douglas, Manager, Range Media Partners

David Draiman, Frontman, Disturbed

Jeremy Drysdale, Screenwriter, bigbamboo

Craig Emanuel, Ryan Murphy Productions

Hannah Epstein, Agent, CAA

Rami “Kosha dillz” Even-Esh, Rapper/Comic/Actor

Lindsay Fabes, Actor

Ron Fair, Record Producer & CEO, Faircraft Inc.

Sharon Farber, Composer, Score by Score Music

Danny Federman, Owner, Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club

Eric Feig, Attorney and TV Academy Member, Feig/Finkel

Patti Felker, Attorney, Felker Toczek Suddleson McGinnis Ryan LLP

Ken Fermaglich, Partner, United Talent Agency

Ross “Remedy” Filler, Artist

Shalom Fisch, President, MediaKidz Research & Consulting

David Fishof, CEO, RRFC Films, LLC

Siri Garber, Publicist, Platform

David Gardner, President, Artists First

Barbara Garshman, CEO, Garshman Productions LLC

Gary Gersh

Gary Ginsberg, Senior VP, SoftBank Group Corp.

Brian Ralston, Composer/Producer, Studio 74 Music, LLC

David Glick, Founder & CEO, Edge Group

Zusha Goldin, Celebrity Photographer, Zusha Goldin

Michael Goldwasser, President, Easy Star Records

Andrew Gould, President, Music Publishing

Scott Greenberg, Partner, LBI

Steven Greenberg, Founder and President, S-Curve Records

Daniel Grindlinger, Writer

Ronnie Harris, Partner, Harris & Trotter

Michael Hirschhorn, Manager, Streaming and Sales, Atlantic Records

Linda Edell Howard, Attorney, Novick Law

Rich Ingram, Artist/Creator

Neil Jacobson, Former President, Geffen Records, Founder & CEO of Hallwood Media

Michael Kaplan, Writer/Producer

Sam Katz, Music Manager, Homebase MGMT, LLC

Zach Katz, CEO & Co-Founder, Fixated

Ketura Kestin, Film Producer, Serendipity Productions

Amanda Kogan, Manager, Aaron Kogan Management

Keetgi Kogan Steinberg, Writer/Producer/Showrunner

Jason Kozel, Creative Executive, Range Media Partners

Rick Krim, CEO, Krim Music + Media

Evan Lamberg, President, North America, Universal Music Publishing Group

Sherry Lansing, Former CEO, Paramount Pictures

Colin Lester OBE, Founder/Chairman, JEM Music Group

Sean Liebowitz, Agent

Koura Linda, Founder & CEO, Space Dream Productions

Marci Liroff, Intimacy Coordinator/Casting Director

Cory Litwin, Managing Partner, Range Media Partners

David Lonner, CEO, The David Lonner Company

Ben Maddahi, President, Unrestricted Publishing & Mgmt

Gabriel Mann, Composer

Deborah Marcus, Executive, CAA Foundation

Susan Markheim, Full Stop Mgt., The Azoff Company

Amanda Markowitz, Actor/Producer, SAG/AFTRA & PGA

Orly Marley, President, Tuff Gong Worldwide

Devra Maza, Screenwriter

Debra Messing, Actor/Producer

Hilary Michael, Agent and Partner, WME

Beth Milstein, Writer

Jennifer Morrow, Actor, CAA

Patrick Moss, Writer, Moroccan Boychik

Robert Munic, Writer/Showrunner, Pull The Pin Productions, Inc.

Lisa Nupoff, Manager, iminmusic management

Scott Packman, Founder and Managing Member, SSP Partners LLC

Mark Pinkus, President, Rhino Records

Jonah Platt, Actor/Producer

Wendy Plaut, SVP Music & Celebrity Talent, Paramount Global

Jessica Poter, Writer, Gustavo Anibal Productions

Golan Ramraz, Writer/Producer, EGX Film Factory

Bruce Resnikof

Frederic Richter, Producer, Writer & Researcher

Wendy Robbins, Executive Producer, Creators Inc

Dan Rosen, President, Warner Music Australasia

Rick Rosen, Co-Founder, Endeavor, WME

Aaron Rosenberg, Partner, Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light

Gregg Rossen, Screenwriter

Michael Rotenberg, CEO, 3 Arts Entertainment

Joshua Rothstein, CEO/Founder, Ice Cream For Dinner

Haim Saban, Chairman and CEO, Saban Capital Group

Glenn Sanders, Writer/Director/Creative Director, Masonry Creative

Ayelet Schiffman, SVP Head of Promotions, Island Records

Paul Schindler, Senior Partner, Greenberg Traurig LLC

Jordan Schur, CEO and Chairman, Mimran Schur Pictures and Suretone Entertainment

Adam Schwartz, Writer

Sam Schwartz, Partner, Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency

Jay Schweid, Founder/CEO, ephelants/Village

Adam Segal, President, The 2050 Group

Ben Silverman, Chairman and Co-CEO, Propagate Content

Ralph Simon, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Mobilium Global Limited

Tamar Simon, Owner/CEO, Mean Streets Management

Martin Singer, Attorney, Lavely and Singer

Halle Stanford, President of Television, The Jim Henson Company

Mimi Steinberg, Writer/Producer

Jonathan Steinsapir, Partner, Kinsella Holley Iser Kump Steinsapir

Gary Stiffelman, Founder, GSS Law

Traci Symanski, CEO, Co-Star Entertainment

Aaron Symonds, Film Composer

Fernando Szew, President, Fox Entertainment

Tal Tavin, Actor

Adam Taylor, President, APM Music

Michael Testa, Casting Director, Michael Testa Casting

Fred Toczek, Partner, Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson McGinnis Ryan LLP

Eric Tuchman, Writer/Producer, MGM-TV

Noa Vinshtok, Streaming, Range Media Partners

Joshua Washington, International Recording Artist, JoDavi Music LLC

Avi Weider, Filmmaker, Loop Filmworks

Jon Weinbach, President, Skydance Sports

Nola Weinstein, Tech Executive

Ilana Wernick, Writer/Producer, Fox

Modi Wiczyk, Co-Founder, MRC

Evan Winiker, Managing Partner, Range Music

Seth Yanklewitz, Casting Director, Yanklewitz Pollack Casting

Sharon Tal Yguado, Founder & CEO, Astrid Entertainment

Ky Zaretsky, Manager, Range Media Partners

David Zedeck, Global Co-Head of Music

[Sources: here, here, and here]

[dear-indies]

full list of biden letter 2:

Aaron Bay-Schuck Aaron Sorkin Adam & Jackie Sandler Adam Goodman Adam Levine Alan Grubman Alex Aja Alex Edelman Alexandra Shiva Ali Wentworth Alison Statter Allan Loeb Alona Tal Amy Chozick Amy Pascal Amy Schumer Amy Sherman Palladino Andrew Singer Andy Cohen Angela Robinson Anthony Russo Antonio Campos Ari Dayan Ari Greenburg Arik Kneller Aron Coleite Ashley Levinson Asif Satchu Aubrey Plaza Barbara Hershey Barry Diller Barry Levinson Barry Rosenstein Beau Flynn Behati Prinsloo Bella Thorne Ben Stiller Ben Turner Ben Winston Ben Younger Billy Crystal Blair Kohan Bob Odenkirk Bobbi Brown Bobby Kotick Brad Falchuk Brad Slater Bradley Cooper Bradley Fischer Brett Gelman Brian Grazer Bridget Everett Brooke Shields Bruna Papandrea Cameron Curtis Casey Neistat Cazzie David

Charles Roven Chelsea Handler Chloe Fineman Chris Fischer Chris Jericho Chris Rock Christian Carino Cindi Berger Claire Coffee Colleen Camp Constance Wu Courteney Cox Craig Silverstein Dame Maureen Lipman Dan Aloni Dan Rosenweig Dana Goldberg Dana Klein Daniel Palladino Danielle Bernstein Danny Cohen Danny Strong Daphne Kastner David Alan Grier David Baddiel David Bernad David Chang David Ellison David Geffen David Gilmour & David Goodman David Joseph David Kohan David Lowery David Oyelowo David Schwimmer Dawn Porter Dean Cain Deborah Lee Furness Deborah Snyder Debra Messing Diane Von Furstenberg Donny Deutsch Doug Liman Douglas Chabbott Eddy Kitsis Edgar Ramirez Eli Roth Elisabeth Shue Elizabeth Himelstein Embeth Davidtz Emma Seligman Emmanuelle Chriqui Eric Andre Erik Feig Erin Foster Eugene Levy Evan Jonigkeit Evan Winiker Ewan McGregor Francis Benhamou Francis Lawrence Fred Raskin Gabe Turner Gail Berman Gal Gadot Gary Barber Gene Stupinski Genevieve Angelson Gideon Raff Gina Gershon Grant Singer Greg Berlanti Guy Nattiv Guy Oseary Gwyneth Paltrow Hannah Fidell Hannah Graf Harlan Coben Harold Brown Harvey Keitel Henrietta Conrad Henry Winkler Holland Taylor Howard Gordon Iain Morris Imran Ahmed Inbar Lavi Isla Fisher Jack Black Jackie Sandler Jake Graf Jake Kasdan James Brolin James Corden Jamie Ray Newman Jaron Varsano Jason Biggs & Jenny Mollen Biggs Jason Blum Jason Fuchs Jason Reitman Jason Segel Jason Sudeikis JD Lifshitz Jeff Goldblum Jeff Rake Jen Joel Jeremy Piven Jerry Seinfeld Jesse Itzler Jesse Plemons Jesse Sisgold Jessica Biel Jessica Elbaum Jessica Seinfeld Jill Littman Jimmy Carr Jody Gerson

Joe Hipps Joe Quinn Joe Russo Joe Tippett Joel Fields Joey King John Landgraf John Slattery Jon Bernthal Jon Glickman Jon Hamm Jon Liebman Jonathan Baruch Jonathan Groff Jonathan Marc Sherman Jonathan Ross Jonathan Steinberg Jonathan Tisch Jonathan Tropper Jordan Peele Josh Brolin Josh Charles Josh Goldstine Josh Greenstein Josh Grode Judd Apatow Judge Judy Sheindlin Julia Garner Julia Lester Julianna Margulies Julie Greenwald Julie Rudd Juliette Lewis Justin Theroux Justin Timberlake Karen Pollock Karlie Kloss Katy Perry Kelley Lynch Kevin Kane Kevin Zegers Kirsten Dunst Kitao Sakurai KJ Steinberg Kristen Schaal Kristin Chenoweth Lana Del Rey Laura Dern Laura Pradelska Lauren Schuker Blum Laurence Mark Laurie David Lea Michele Lee Eisenberg Leo Pearlman Leslie Siebert Liev Schreiber Limor Gott Lina Esco Liz Garbus Lizanne Rosenstein Lizzie Tisch Lorraine Schwartz Lynn Harris Lyor Cohen Madonna Mandana Dayani Mara Buxbaum Marc Webb Marco Perego Maria Dizzia Mark Feuerstein Mark Foster Mark Scheinberg Mark Shedletsky Martin Short Mary Elizabeth Winstead Mathew Rosengart Matt Lucas Matt Miller Matthew Bronfman Matthew Hiltzik Matthew Weiner Matti Leshem Max Mutchnik Maya Lasry Meaghan Oppenheimer Melissa Zukerman Michael Aloni Michael Ellenberg Michael Green Michael Rapino Michael Rappaport Michael Weber Michelle Williams Mike Medavoy Mila Kunis Mimi Leder Modi Wiczyk Molly Shannon Nancy Josephson Natasha Leggero

Neil Blair Neil Druckmann Nicola Peltz Nicole Avant Nina Jacobson Noa Kirel Noa Tishby Noah Oppenheim Noah Schnapp Noreena Hertz Odeya Rush Olivia Wilde Oran Zegman Orlando Bloom Pasha Kovalev Pattie LuPone Paul & Julie Rudd Paul Haas Paul Pflug Peter Traugott Polly Sampson Rachel Riley Rafi Marmor Ram Bergman Raphael Margulies Rebecca Angelo Rebecca Mall Regina Spektor Reinaldo Marcus Green Rich Statter Richard Jenkins Richard Kind Rick Hoffman Rick Rosen Rita Ora Rob Rinder Robert Newman Roger Birnbaum Roger Green Rosie O’Donnell Ross Duffer Ryan Feldman Sacha Baron Cohen Sam Levinson Sam Trammell Sara Foster Sarah Baker Sarah Bremner Sarah Cooper Sarah Paulson Sarah Treem Scott Braun Scott Braun Scott Neustadter Scott Tenley Sean Combs Seth Meyers Seth Oster Shannon Watts Shari Redstone Sharon Jackson Sharon Stone Shauna Perlman Shawn Levy Sheila Nevins Shira Haas Simon Sebag Montefiore Simon Tikhman Skylar Astin Stacey Snider Stephen Fry Steve Agee Steve Rifkind Sting & Trudie Styler Susanna Felleman Susie Arons Taika Waititi Thomas Kail Tiffany Haddish Todd Lieberman Todd Moscowitz Todd Waldman Tom Freston Tom Werner Tomer Capone Tracy Ann Oberman Trudie Styler Tyler James Williams Tyler Perry Vanessa Bayer Veronica Grazer Veronica Smiley Whitney Wolfe Herd

Will Ferrell Will Graham Yamanieka Saunders Yariv Milchan Ynon Kreiz Zack Snyder Zoe Saldana Zoey Deutch Zosia Mamet

[jules-has-notes]

Aca Top 10: Disney Sidekicks — VoicePlay music video

Triumph often requires teamwork. Disney heroes take big risks and achieve great things, but they wouldn't get very far without their trusty sidekicks. Whether they're providing a pep talk, sage advice, or a simple moment of comic relief, those supporting characters are among the most cherished by fans. So grab a buddy and enjoy this medley of feel-good songs.

Details:

title: Aca Top 10 – Disney Sidekicks

original songs / performers: [0:20] "When You Wish Upon a Star" by Cliff Edwards as Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio (1940); [0:34] "Be Our Guest" by Jerry Orbach as Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast (1991); [0:52] "Heigh-Ho" by the cast of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937); [1:02] "Hakuna Matata" by Nathan Lane as Timon, Ernie Sabella as Pumba, & Jason Weaver as Simba in The Lion King (1994); [1:14] "Bare Necessities" by Phil Harris as Baloo & Bruce Reitherman as Mowgli in The Jungle Book (1967); [1:33] "Under the Sea" by Samuel Wright as Sebastian in The Little Mermaid (1989); [1:52] "In Summer" by Josh Gad as Olaf in Frozen (2013); [2:22] "Chim Chim Cher-ee" by Dick Van Dyke as Burt in Mary Poppins (1964); [2:41] "You're Welcome" by Dwayne Johnson as Maui in Moana (2016); [3:01] "Friend Like Me" by Robin Williams as the Genie in Aladdin (1992)

written by: "When You Wish Upon a Star" by Leigh Harline & Ned Washington; "Be Our Guest" by Howard Ashman & Alan Menken; "Heigh-Ho" by Frank Churchill & Larry Morey; "Hakuna Matata" by Elton John & Tim Rice; "Bare Necessities" by Terry Gilkyson; "Under the Sea" by Alan Menken & Howard Ashman; "In Summer" by Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez; "Chim Chim Cher-ee" by Robert B. Sherman & Richard M. Sherman; "You're Welcome" by Lin-Manuel Miranda; "Friend Like Me" by Howard Ashman & Alan Menken

arranged by: Geoff Castellucci, Eli Jacobson, & Layne Stein

release date: 10 August 2018

My favorite bits:

Geoff's intro narration, and the other guys' reactions

the rising harmonies on ♫ "they will come to" ♫

giving "Heigh-Ho" a little "Hip Hop Hooray" flavor

J.None taking over the bass line while Geoff sings lead for "Bare Necessities"

Eli and Earl singing ♫ "settle down now" ♫ instead of "rest at ease" with two different connotations — Eli: "Take a nice break." Earl: "Calm down, dude."

J's saucy little ♫ "Uh oh!" ♫ in "Under the Sea"

that pitch perfect Olaf impression from Eli ☃️

🥕 ♫ "a-buh-buh-buh Mountain Dew" ♫ 🥕

Layne's michievous expression after Geoff swipes his carrot

the back row swaying in time to "Chim Chim Cher-ee"

Earl's affronted expression when J starts singing Maui's part

those horn hits from Eli and Earl 🎺

Layne retaliating for the carrot theft by recreating the Genie's raspberry toward Geoff

Trivia:

○ VoicePlay had previously recorded several of the songs included in this medley, mostly on their Disney-centric album, "Once Upon an Ever After".

"When You Wish Upon a Star" is the second-to-last track on "OUaEA", and moseys through several fun rhythmic variations.

"Be Our Guest" is the opening segment of their Beauty and the Beast medley, Tale As Old As Time. They also made a short video for it, which was one of the earliest on their YouTube channel.

"Hakuna Matata" is part of The King Has Returned, a Lion King medley.

"Friend Like Me" is the closing portion of their Aladdin medley, Diamond in the Rough. It's also the first non-promotional video on the VoicePlay YouTube channel after their name change.

"You're Welcome" was included in their "Moana medley" with Rachel Potter the year before.

○ Since this video was released, the guys have recorded newer versions of a few more songs.

An excerpt of "Under the Sea" was included in their "Little Mermaid medley" with Rachel Potter.

They got back to their roots for a barbershop tag of "When You Wish Upon a Star" in the summer of 2023.

Geoff made a multi-tracked version of "Bare Necessities" as the first music video on his personal channels in 2020.

○ The YouTube description asserts that "No carrots were harmed in the making of this video. Except that one. That one was hurt over and over and over and over…" 😆

○ The guys are once again all wearing thematically appropriate shirts.

Eli — Timon the meerkat from The Lion King with his hands on his hips, in front of a white striped circle with a teal border and "nope" in teal letters beneath

Earl — silhouette of Yondu from Guardians of the Galaxy composed of the words "I'm Mary Poppins, y'all" in blue text with his crest in red

J.None — tall white letters reading "lit" with a gold outline of Lumiere the candelabra from Beauty and the Beast striking a dramatic pose

Geoff — Olaf the snowman from Frozen floating in a lake with "chillin'" in white letters beneath

Layne — classic Mickey Mouse and Pluto posing together, with Mickey's arm around Pluto's shoulders

○ This is the second in a mini-series within their "Aca Top 10" series, which was preceded by "Disney Heroes" the previous autumn, and followed by "Disney Villains" the next spring.

○ Geoff, Earl, & J.None's selfie posing was caught on video & posted to Twitter.

○ The guys also took individual selfies with their pal Rek who was doing production work behind the scenes.

○ The inclusion of Olaf's song resulted in many carrot-based shenanigans during the filming. Little did they know it would be the beginning of a running joke that persists to this day, particularly when J comes back to town.

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[brokehorrorfan]

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes will be released on Digital on January 30 before hitting 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 13 via Lionsgate. Walmart will carry an exclusive Steelbook 4K UHD with art by Tracie Ching for $29.96.

Based on Suzanne Collins' 2020 novel, the 2023 prequel to The Hunger Games stars Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, and Viola Davis.

Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2) and written by Michael Lesslie (Assassin's Creed) and Michael Arndt (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire).

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is presented in 4K with Dolby Vision/HDR and Dolby Atmos audio. Special features are listed below, where you can also see the full Steelbook art.

Audio commentary by director Francis Lawrence and producer Nina Jacobson

Predator or Prey: Making The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes - 8-part documentary

"The Hanging Tree" by Rachel Zegler

A Letter to the Fans

Theatrical trailers

Set 64 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteered as tribute, and decades before Coriolanus Snow became the tyrannical President of Panem, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes follows a young Coriolanus (Tom Blyth) as he unites with Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) in the 10th Hunger Games and battles his instincts for both good and evil.

Pre-order The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.

[nityarawal]

@cobie-smulders-sanctuary We're you entrapped at @joshradnor blizzard wedding? So creepy his clinical psychologist coerced him into marriage! Is she one of @neilpatrickharris hookers from Palestine or Jordan? Did they get an invitro baby in Gaza on sale? Was it "real" Josh there or did they use a @jimmykimmellive doll like @sarahsilverman-blog look-alike boy toy? My nurse Darlene sent her daughter Melody Gray to Troll us too after they broke hippa violations. Did the state arrange this conservatorship? @cobie-smulders Did Dr. Jordana Jacobson force Josh to block you on your daughter's birthday too? It was mean- on 10/10- as war started. You'd think she'd want Josh's #1 Muse to fangirl her too? Lol I hope she's enjoying the buckets of money we made him while our children are raped! I couldn't even bring myself to wear red lipstick for Elon in brutal war. Amazing hundreds dressed up to celebrate canceling their parents, murders of last years, and the first Chrismacah without Santa. I honestly felt too guilty to celebrate knowing 40% of #CampCalifornia was starving cold. It's not an auspicious time to get married. Praying @rewindai doesn't hurt @joshradnor for another UK robot trade. How many of our men were sold to Chowmilla for Mistress toys? My son has been raped extensively at @spaceexp & @neuralink-api-official in Josh's likeness. Did the wedding guests survive? Could you do me a favor and send a @teslamotorsblog to all your mommy fans at @himym-life-lessons with apologies for naming leading lady after tm.org and murdering her? How many of @joshradnor love interests were murdered? @britneyspears is a Survivor. We all would've preferred to celebrate her with her sons than a Dr. Who killed "the mother" during Jewish attys war. @himym-confessions @himym-gifs @himymthings-blog @himymmemes

[ulkaralakbarova]

Loosely based on the Charles Dickens’ classic novel, “Great Expectations” is a sensual tale of a young man’s unforgettable passage into manhood, and the three individuals who will undeniably change his life forever. Through the surprising interactions of these vivid characters, “Great Expectations” takes a unique and contemporary look at life’s great coincidences. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Finnegan Bell: Ethan Hawke Estella: Gwyneth Paltrow Walter Plane: Hank Azaria Joe: Chris Cooper Ms. Dinsmoor: Anne Bancroft Prisoner / Lustig: Robert De Niro Jerry Ragno: Josh Mostel Maggie: Kim Dickens Erica Thall: Nell Campbell Owen: Gabriel Mann Finnegan at Age 10: Jeremy James Kissner Estella at Age 10: Raquel Beaudene Carter Macleish: Stephen Spinella Ruth Shepard: Marla Sucharetza Lois Pope: Isabelle Anderson Man on Phone: Peter Jacobson Marcy: Drena De Niro Anton Le Farge: Lance Reddick Mr. Barrow: Craig Braun Mrs. Barrow: Kim Snyder Security Guard: Nicholas Wolfert Ted Rabinowitz: Gerry Bamman Senator Elwood: Dorin Seymour Hitman #1: Clem Caserta Hitman #2: Frank Pietrangolare Hitman #3: Dennis Paladino Hitman #4: Clem Caserta Jr. Cop on Boat: Marc Macaulay Clemma: Ana Susana Gerardino Waiter: Francis Dumaurier Lover: Pedro Barquin 7 Year Old Girl: Kendall Williamson Singing Indian Woman: Shobha Jain Singing Indian Girl: Aditi Jain Anchor Woman: Margo Peace Waitress: Kimmy Suzuki Doorman: John P. Casey Taxi Driver: Adusah Boakye Gallery Waitress: Dyan Kane Gallery Receptionist: Anne Ok Gallery Guest: Alva Chinn Gallery Guest: G.B. Thomas Gallery Guest: Albert Zihenni Gallery Guest: Fritz Michel Gallery Guest: Lisa Herth Gallery Guest: Nino Pepicelli Gallery Guest: Wills Robbins Gallery Guest: Jewel Turner Gallery Guest: Jim Taylor McNickle Gallery Guest: Martin Alvin Gallery Guest: William Rothlein Gallery Guest (uncredited): Maria Capp Gallery Guest (uncredited): Stephen Sherman Cop #2 (uncredited): Paul Neglio DJ (voice) (uncredited): Gary Newton Richard (uncredited): Dale Resteghini Film Crew: Director: Alfonso Cuarón Novel: Charles Dickens Original Music Composer: Patrick Doyle Screenplay: Mitch Glazer Editor: Steven Weisberg Director of Photography: Emmanuel Lubezki Production Design: Tony Burrough Art Direction: John Kasarda Set Decoration: Susan Bode Tyson Costume Design: Judianna Makovsky Sound Designer: Richard Beggs Executive Producer: Deborah Lee Producer: Art Linson Co-Producer: John Linson Casting: Jill Greenberg Sands Makeup Artist: Vivian Baker Key Makeup Artist: Angel De Angelis Makeup & Hair: Ilona Herman Makeup Artist: Manlio Rocchetti Hairstylist: Anthony Veader Key Makeup Artist: Cecilia Verardi Makeup Artist: Linda Kamp Makeup Artist: Sara Seidman Vance Movie Reviews:

[are-they-z]

Supporters of #NoHostageLeftBehind Open Letter to Joe Biden - Part 2/2

Gabe Turner

Gail Berman

Gary Barber

Genevieve Angelson

Gideon Raff

Grant Singer

Greg Berlanti

Guy Nattiv

Hannah Fidell

Hannah Graf

Harlan Coben

Harold Brown

Henrietta Conrad

Howard Gordon

Iain Morris

Imran Ahmed

Inbar Lavi

Jackie Sandler

Jake Graf

Jake Kasdan

Jamie Ray Newman

Jaron Varsano

Jason Fuchs

Jason Biggs & Jenny Mollen Biggs

Jason Segel

JD Lifshitz

Jeff Rake

Jen Joel

Jeremy Piven

Jesse Itzler

Jesse Sisgold

Jill Littman

Jody Gerson

Joe Hipps

Joe Quinn

Joe Russo

Joe Tippett

Joel Fields

John Landgraf

Jon Bernthal

Jon Glickman

Jon Liebman

Jonathan Baruch

Jonathan Groff

Jonathan Tropper

Jonathan Marc Sherman

Jonathan Steinberg

Jonathan Tisch

Josh Goldstine

Josh Greenstein

Josh Grode

Julia Lester

Julie Greenwald

Karen Pollock

Kelley Lynch

Kevin Kane

Kevin Zegers

Kitao Sakurai

KJ Steinberg

Laura Pradelska

Lauren Schuker Blum

Laurence Mark

Laurie David

Lee Eisenberg

Leslie Siebert

Leo Pearlman

Limor Gott

Lina Esco

Liz Garbus

Lizanne Rosenstein

Lizzie Tisch

Lorraine Schwartz

Lynn Harris

Lyor Cohen

Mandana Dayani

Maria Dizzia

Mara Buxbaum

Marc Webb

Marco Perego

Mark Feuerstein

Mark Shedletsky

Mark Scheinberg

Mathew Rosengart

Matt Lucas

Matt Miller

Matthew Bronfman

Matthew Hiltzik

Matti Leshem

Dame Maureen Lipman

Max Mutchnik

Maya Lasry

Meaghan Oppenheimer

Melissa Zukerman

Michael Ellenberg

Michael Aloni

Michael Green

Michael Rapino

Michael Weber

Mike Medavoy

Mimi Leder

Modi Wiczyk

Nancy Josephson

Natasha Leggero

Neil Blair

Neil Druckmann

Nicole Avant

Nina Jacobson

Noa Kirel

Noah Oppenheim

Noreena Hertz

Odeya Rush

Oran Zegman

Pasha Kovalev

Paul Haas

Paul Pflug

Peter Traugott

Rachel Riley

Rafi Marmor

Ram Bergman

Raphael Margulies

Rebecca Angelo

Rebecca Mall

Reinaldo Marcus Green

Rich Statter

Richard Kind

Rick Hoffman

Rick Rosen

Robert Newman

Rob Rinder

Roger Birnbaum

Roger Green

Rosie O'Donnell

Ryan Feldman

Sam Trammell

Sarah Baker

Sarah Bremner

Sarah Treem

Scott Tenley

Seth Oster

Scott Braun

Scott Neustadter

Shannon Watts

Shari Redstone

Sharon Jackson

Shauna Perlman

Shawn Levy

Sheila Nevins

Simon Sebag Montefiore

Simon Tikhman

Skylar Astin

Stacey Snider

Stephen Fry

Steve Agee

Steve Rifkind

Susanna Felleman

Susie Arons

Todd Lieberman

Todd Moscowitz

Todd Waldman

Tom Freston

Tom Werner

Tomer Capone

Tracy Ann Oberman

Trudie Styler

Tyler James Williams

Vanessa Bayer

Veronica Grazer

Veronica Smiley

Whitney Wolfe Herd

Will Graham

Yamanieka Saunders

Yariv Milchan

Ynon Kreiz

[brainlesspen]

Dark Skies (2013) Ending Explained

Dark Skies takes us on a spine-tingling journey into the mysterious and the unexplained. In this 2013 American science fiction horror film, directed by Scott Stewart and starring Kerri Russell and Josh Hamilton, we follow the lives of the Barrett family in an idyllic suburban setting. However, beneath the surface of their seemingly normal existence, strange and unsettling events begin to unfold. From eerie fridge openings to bizarre sculptures made from kitchen products, the Barret family's world is turned upside down. In this article, we delve into the heart of the supernatural, aiming to decipher the enigmatic ending of Dark Skies. Prepare to be captivated by a unique exploration of this cinematic masterpiece as we seek to shed light on its perplexing conclusion.

Dark Skies (2013) Movie Plot and Ending Explained in Details

* * * Spoiler Alert – If you haven’t seen the movie yet, turn back now! * * * Lacy Berret and Daniel Berret live in a suburban American city with their two sons. The scene starts with Daniel barbecuing porks, and their younger child is playing with a lizard. It is a little sick, so Sammy will nurse it until it returns to good health. Lacy calls Jessie to join their family party. Jessie is with his friend, who does a lot of adult deeds like kissing. When there is playing the kissing scene on TV, Jessie feels something. Something that an adolescent will feel. Daniel is a strict father who consistently demeans Jassie. He always focuses on his faults, so they both have a harsh relationship. Daniel is unemployed, and Lacy is a real estate agent. At night he expects some closeness from his wife, but she is pretty busy with her real estate work, so it does piss Daniel off at that moment. Jessie and Sammy share a good relationship. They both talk over the walkie-talkie at night. Jessie read him stories. Lacy wakes up in the middle of the night and checks everyone whether they are asleep or not. Suddenly, she notices her fridge door is open, and everything inside messes around outside. She gets scared and checks what creature did it but finds nothing. In the morning, they are discussing it. Dani says maybe it's a giant rabbit. But Lacy is not bothered by the fact at all! She is thinking. 'What Kind of Animal Eats All the Lettuce but Leaves the Bacon?' Jessie is bothering Sammy, saying it, a mutant and mad lizard at him for imprisoning her offspring. Dani is attending an interview, and everyone heartily wishes him good luck. Lacy has a second show at two up on Croft, and Dani promises to tell the truth to her to indicate upward before that. He gets rejected again because of being laid off from Jacobson. Daniel gets positively denied, but he willingly lies to Lacy. He says they are getting back to him next week. At night, Lacy closes the door tightly and notices her sons are talking with each other with walkie. She sends them to sleep and falls asleep. At night, she wakes up having a bad dream and checks every room. Suddenly, she gets a shock seeing a sculpture made of her kitchen products. At night, who made this she doesn't understand. A hand touches her and her jumpscares. Nothing to be worried about; it was Sammy. Lacy asks Sammy who did this. Sammy tells the sandman has done it after leaving his room. Lacy stares at him, making a shocked face. Later in the morning, the police came to check. He says there is no forced entry. Police suspect two cases. One is maybe whoever is doing it has the key to the house, or it's someone in the house. Dad is saying no. No one from the house is doing it. Police say we got a case that their child is a sleep eater. She sleepwalks and eats all the food in the kitchen. Children do crazy things, so maybe your child is a little brilliant. A family comes to watch Lacy's house because she wants to sell it. The mom inhales her daughter as she has asthma. Lacy says her older son got it, too. Mom asks how she coped with it. Lacy says she worried a lot. They both laugh and discuss the house. Lacy asks about the interview at night, and Dani says he doesn't think he will make it. Lacy gets depressed because he lied to her. Dani says he didn't want to give her bad news, but Lacy doesn't buy that. She screams, and Sammy hears it. He contacts her brother, and Jessie tells him to sleep. Sammy thinks her father is going to leave. Suddenly, the alarm rang that night, and everyone woke up and went outside to check. Like every day, they find nothing but some strange things happen. The notice says the intruder tries to enter from every house gate. But that isn't possible, so it's a system malfunction. But Lacy sees every photo vanish from the photo frame. They don't understand what is happening. The following day, the police again blame their kids. Dani and Lacy sit with their kids to talk about this. Jessie says he was asleep, so he didn't take the photos. Sammy says that he didn't take it, but the sandman did it, and the sandman tells him not to tell anyone. Dani gets furious and searches for the photos in his room. Lace tells him to stop because they no longer care about the pictures. There is more concerning matter in front of them now. Sammy needs treatment, like seeing a shrink. That afternoon, Dani takes Sammy to play with other kids. A guardian asks him if he heard about seeing a shrink for Sammy. Dani ignores it, and suddenly, he sees Sammy peed on himself. Dani takes him away. On the other hand, Lace is organizing the room, and suddenly, she sees a picture of a sandman drawn by Sammy. Suddenly, a bird gets hurt, hitting their window. She feels sorry for the bird. She is about to open the window, and suddenly, plenty of birds start coming and hitting their house. Lace gets so scared he calls the police, and they start cleaning the house. Dani asks the police why this has happened. Police predict it could be some outbreak, or maybe it could be an environmental cause like a storm or lightning. Dani and Lacy sit with Sammy and ask gently why he is afraid in the park. Sammy says he can't remember anything, and at one point, he is not himself anymore. Dani decides they are going to the therapist tomorrow, and he will figure out how to manage the money. At night, Lacy wakes up at midnight and sees everything normal. She hears the sounds of someone talking while passing Sam's room. She goes into the room and sees a slick, shadowy figure and screams. She lights on and finds none. Dani runs into the room and asks what's happening. They find Sam nowhere in the house. Suddenly, Dani sees Sam getting outside. He rushes to him and hugs him. They rescue Sam and lie to him in bed. Dani asks Lacy if she saw someone then where he had gone, and he enters. Because everything was locked, and when Sam was outside, they had been closed too. Then how did all these happen? Lace asks if he does not believe her. Dani believes her, but whatever is happening doesn't make sense. They haven’t got enough evidence without getting crazy. Dan checks his ear and finds a lot of sores. Jessie is busy doing his secret thing. There is a girl who is their family friend. He tells her not to tell her mom and dad about this place. The girl asks what he can do for her. Jessie repeated the scene that he watched on TV. The girl reacts vigorously but understands Jessie is still a virgin and has never kissed a girl. So she calms herself down and kisses him. Jessie gets so freaking happy but gets a little scared while walking the road. Dani and Lacy place CCTV cameras in every room. At night, everyone is asleep, but Dan keeps him awakened for some hours but later falls asleep too. In the morning, Dan finds an exciting thing: every room's footage gets blurred periodically. After that, we see Lacy deal with her clients. Suddenly, her mouth gets stuck, and she can't talk and starts hitting her head suddenly on the front wall. When she wakes up, she gets relief because it was a nightmare. She takes a shower but surprisingly notices a wound in her head. At that moment, she gets a call saying her boss that the client complained to her about exactly what she saw in the nightmare. Pete, her boss, fires her up. She is going to request, but the line gets closed. The phone rings again, and this time, the environment agency. They say the birds are avian flu-negative. Usually, birds come from one direction, but these birds come from three different directions. Someone sent those towards your house. Lacy searches it on Google and finds if any country is conspiring against any government. It can't be the reason. And there is another reason why aliens visit the Earth. Lacy finds some photos on the internet, precisely like Sammy's drawing. Dan gets a job, and he gets flowers and beers for Lacy to enjoy the night. At night, Lacy doesn't find Dan; she comes downstairs and sees him standing outside. She gets in front of him and sees his mouth is wide open, and his nose is bleeding. Suddenly, he returns to the house and discovers himself in the kitchen, but he doesn't know how he got there. Lacy tells him what happened with her earlier and how these are happening. It's alien. A five-year-old whom Lacy finds on the internet vanished. They had been coming for weeks before it took place. Sam drew this same kind of thing. But Dan denies everything. He says just because we can't explain anything doesn't mean aliens are responsible. Sammy goes to the swimming pool with other kids. Shelly takes off her shirt, but she stops because everywhere in his body, there are a lot of marks of beating. Jessie was walking with Ratner. Rat asks him if he kisses her. He replies positively. Ratner motivates him to go downtown. Jessie doesn't like his suggestion. Suddenly, Ratner shoots him with a toy pistol. Jessie runs into the middle of the jungle and gets a seizure attack. The doctor says they have found geometrical shapes in his body. Dan gets furious at Ratner. He thinks he is responsible for his son's sickness. On the other hand, Karen, Lacy's friend, gets Sammy home, and Karen hates Lacy for being cruel to her child. Lacy takes medicine out of depression. Lacy fights with Dan for not believing what she said earlier that night. At night, Dan has a nightmare like Sammy's eyes go black. Dan wakes up, checks the CCTV camera, and finds some shadowy figures. He lies beside Lacy and utters the most beautiful words. 'Do you remember right after Jesse was born, and he was so sick? The doctors didn't know what it was, and they told us all we could do was wait until morning to see if he would be OK. That was the longest night of my life. I didn't know if I would kiss a child or bury one in the morning. However, it all turned out, no matter what I faced, I knew I would get through it because I had you.' They go to Doctor Pollard, who is an alien specialist. He asks them if they experienced any unexplained wounds or allergies, if they have blackouts, therefore whatever they have been experiencing the past days. He knows about everything. Dogs can sense aliens, so Lacy buys and keeps the dog with them. Dan buys a gun. They board every window. They stick together. At night, aliens come, and they all fight. Alien plays something on TV, and Lacy goes there. Aliens lock her and attack Sam and Jessie. Their father saves them and comes to Lacy, but in the end, they take Jessie but can't take Sam. They shift the house, and Lacy is organizing all the things. When arranging Jessie's things, she finds that aliens targeted Jessie, not Sam, because Jessie has an allergy, not Sam. Suddenly, the walkie-talkie responds, and they all look at it surprisingly.

Why Couldn’t Daniel Get a Job?

Daniel got discharged from his job because of cash flow issues. That’s why the entire team was let go. They laid him off. When an employee gets laid off, other companies usually think ill of him. They think maybe he is not reliable. That's why no one allows them to join. So Daniel couldn't get any job.

Why Did Sammy Think His Father Would Leave Them?

Sammy listens to his parents argue most often. His friend Tau tells his parents to discuss all the time. That's why his father leaves them, and he can see him once in the weekend. Children in America are always afraid of separation. No child wants a break. So Sammy is sad about that matter.

What Is Jessie’s Secret Thing to Do?

In America, they belong to a completely different culture. Teenager starts their drug and sexual journey so early compared to Asian kids. In Asia, parents give their children a strict life, and in America not like that. Teens make a secret place where only teens go. Adults are not allowed. There, they do drugs and sex.

Why Did Birds Come From Three Different Directions?

Birds migrate from one Country to another to breed and to find suitable homes. They always go in one direction. Never two flocks get their species mixed up. The birds hit their house that day, coming from three different directions. So it's very unusual.

What Kind of Creature Were They?

Something is interfering with Earth's geomagnetic fields. That is causing the birds to veer. There is something to do with the government that they are testing some super secret weapons technology. Other people think it's something else. It's alien. A lot of people are experiencing what they are experiencing now. Sammy drew the same kind of picture a five-year-old child drew, which Lacy found on the internet. So they were from other planets. 'Two possibilities exist…. Either we are not alone in the universe, or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.' - Arthur C. Clarke

Summary

Original Title: Dark Skies Genre: Horror/ Sci-fi Runtime: 01hr 37min Original Language: English Written and directed by Scott Stewart Release date: February 22, 2013 (USA) Origin Country: United States Read the full article