(Courtesy image, Graphic by The Desk)
After accidentally revealing the news to a handful of trade publications on earlier this week, Weigel Broadcasting and Warner Bros Discovery (Wbd) formally announced the forthcoming launch of their classic cartoon television network MeTV Toons on Thursday.
The channel will debut in June on broadcast stations across the country and on free, ad-supported streaming television platforms, and will include dozens of classic animated series like “Tom & Jerry,” “The Flintstones,” “Johnny Quest” and “Scooby-Doo.”
MeTV Toons builds off a Saturday morning cartoon block that has aired on Weigel-owned MeTV for several years now, which consisted primarily of animated shows from Warner Bros. MeTV Toons will expand on this idea by incorporating other Warner Bros series into the mix, along with shows from Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, Sony’s Columbia Pictures and others.
A teaser trailer published online Thursday offered insight into the shows that...
After accidentally revealing the news to a handful of trade publications on earlier this week, Weigel Broadcasting and Warner Bros Discovery (Wbd) formally announced the forthcoming launch of their classic cartoon television network MeTV Toons on Thursday.
The channel will debut in June on broadcast stations across the country and on free, ad-supported streaming television platforms, and will include dozens of classic animated series like “Tom & Jerry,” “The Flintstones,” “Johnny Quest” and “Scooby-Doo.”
MeTV Toons builds off a Saturday morning cartoon block that has aired on Weigel-owned MeTV for several years now, which consisted primarily of animated shows from Warner Bros. MeTV Toons will expand on this idea by incorporating other Warner Bros series into the mix, along with shows from Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, Sony’s Columbia Pictures and others.
A teaser trailer published online Thursday offered insight into the shows that...
- 5/2/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
Fans of classic cartoons might have a new favorite channel: MeTV Toons — a new TV network dedicated to animated favorites like Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Tom & Jerry and more — will debut this summer, TVLine has learned.
The new channel from MeTV parent company Weigel Broadcasting Co., which will be available on over-the-air broadcast television as well as ad-supporting streaming services, will air beloved Warner Bros. Discovery cartoons like Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Tom & Jerry, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Yogi Bear, Popeye and more, along with Rocky and Bullwinkle, Woody Woodpecker, Casper, Betty Boop, Speed Racer and others. MeTV Toons will officially launch on Tuesday,...
The new channel from MeTV parent company Weigel Broadcasting Co., which will be available on over-the-air broadcast television as well as ad-supporting streaming services, will air beloved Warner Bros. Discovery cartoons like Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Tom & Jerry, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Yogi Bear, Popeye and more, along with Rocky and Bullwinkle, Woody Woodpecker, Casper, Betty Boop, Speed Racer and others. MeTV Toons will officially launch on Tuesday,...
- 5/1/2024
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For regular updates, sign up for our weekly email newsletter and follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSEvil Does Not Exist.We are saddened to learn that Issue 97 will be Cinema Scope’s last in its current form. To “do something valuable in this field,” editor and publisher Mark Peranson writes, “one needs creative freedom.” This is exactly what, for twenty-five years and just under 100 issues, Cinema Scope was able to provide, offering a space that allowed, per Peranson, “a certain kind of filmmaker’s work to be treated with the intellect and respect they deserve.” The print issue is on its way to subscribers now, and its entire contents—including interviews with Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Rodrigo Moreno, and Alex Ross Perry—can also be read online.Sandra Milo has died at the age of 90. She starred in Federico Fellini’s 8½ (1963) and Juliet of the Spirits...
- 1/31/2024
- MUBI
(Welcome to Ani-time Ani-where, a regular column dedicated to helping the uninitiated understand and appreciate the world of anime.)
I've been lucky enough to write this column for four years now, allowing me to explore and recommend anime both new and classic with a focus on introducing newcomers to the art form. I try to end every year by recommending a longer, beloved anime -- one that represents why the medium has taken the world by storm and why it is unlike any other.
After four years, it is finally time to embark on an epic high-seas adventure, to brave the perilous grand line of 1,000 episodes (and more) in search of wealth, fame, and power, just like the pirate Gol D. Roger once did. That's right! It's time to come aboard and bring along all your hopes and dreams because together, we will find the "One Piece."
This is an anime that needs no introduction.
I've been lucky enough to write this column for four years now, allowing me to explore and recommend anime both new and classic with a focus on introducing newcomers to the art form. I try to end every year by recommending a longer, beloved anime -- one that represents why the medium has taken the world by storm and why it is unlike any other.
After four years, it is finally time to embark on an epic high-seas adventure, to brave the perilous grand line of 1,000 episodes (and more) in search of wealth, fame, and power, just like the pirate Gol D. Roger once did. That's right! It's time to come aboard and bring along all your hopes and dreams because together, we will find the "One Piece."
This is an anime that needs no introduction.
- 12/27/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Though the end of the year is mainly the mainstay of serious and somber award-seeking films, there’s almost always room for family-friendly flicks. After all, there has to be a break from all the hectic holiday preparations, and what better way to relax than getting off your feet in one of those swell reclining plush multiplex chairs? So, the “mouse house” will arrive shortly with a slick fantasy fable, but how about their “major ‘toon rival”? Well, the fine folks at Dreamworks are completing a trilogy begun seven years ago when they put a new spin on a beloved baby boomer toy. Much of that spin involves music, as the lil’ critters interpreted classic (and some brand new) pop tunes. This makes their third outing feel a bit foreshadowed as those Trolls Band Together.
This new outing begins with a flashback to the final performance of the huge Troll boy band BroZone.
This new outing begins with a flashback to the final performance of the huge Troll boy band BroZone.
- 11/16/2023
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Halloween has arrived, and celebrities have gone all out to dress up as other pop cultural icons. The SAG-AFTRA guidelines for Halloween this year advised members to not post photos of costumes inspired by struck work on social media, to choose costumes inspired by generalized Halloween tropes or to dress up as characters from non-struck content like cartoons or other animated TV shows.
“SAG-AFTRA issued Halloween guidance in response to questions from content creators and members about how to support the strike during this festive season. This was meant to help them avoid promoting struck work, and it is the latest in a series of guidelines we have issued,” the guild said in a statement.
But not all actors complied.
Megan Fox did dress up as Gogo Yubari from “Kill Bill” with boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly, and she tagged SAG-AFTRA in her Instagram post. Other celebrities have found more creative...
“SAG-AFTRA issued Halloween guidance in response to questions from content creators and members about how to support the strike during this festive season. This was meant to help them avoid promoting struck work, and it is the latest in a series of guidelines we have issued,” the guild said in a statement.
But not all actors complied.
Megan Fox did dress up as Gogo Yubari from “Kill Bill” with boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly, and she tagged SAG-AFTRA in her Instagram post. Other celebrities have found more creative...
- 10/31/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Ice Spice is getting into the Halloween spirit!
The 23-year-old “Deli” rapper took the stage for a performance at iHeart Powerhouse 105.1 on Saturday night (October 28) held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Photos: Check out the latest pics of Ice Spice
For the performance, Ice Spice dressed up as Betty Boop, wearing a tiny red dress with a heart-shaped garter and a short black wig.
In a recent interview, Ice Spice shared what it was like working with Ben Affleck for that new Dunkin’ commercial.
If you missed it, Ice Spice recently teamed up with Rema for the new collab “Pretty Girl” – listen to it here!
Click through the gallery for 15+ pictures of Ice Spice on stage for her performance…...
The 23-year-old “Deli” rapper took the stage for a performance at iHeart Powerhouse 105.1 on Saturday night (October 28) held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Photos: Check out the latest pics of Ice Spice
For the performance, Ice Spice dressed up as Betty Boop, wearing a tiny red dress with a heart-shaped garter and a short black wig.
In a recent interview, Ice Spice shared what it was like working with Ben Affleck for that new Dunkin’ commercial.
If you missed it, Ice Spice recently teamed up with Rema for the new collab “Pretty Girl” – listen to it here!
Click through the gallery for 15+ pictures of Ice Spice on stage for her performance…...
- 10/30/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Boop! The Betty Boop Musical will have its world premiere production in Chicago at the end of the year and full casting has been announced!
Newcomer Jasmine Amy Rogers is taking on the lead role of Betty Boop.
“Those are huge shoes to fill, but I’m in such a great company. I have so many people around me that are helping me find her and bring her to life, and so it’s really, really exciting,” she told the Associated Press.
Tony winner Faith Prince, Madam Secretary actor Erich Bergen, Aladdin‘s Ainsley Melham, Boardwalk Empire‘s Stephen DeRosa, and Waitress actress Anastacia McCleskey round out the lead cast for the upcoming pre-Broadway run.
The music for the show was written by 16-time Grammy-winning composer David Foster and Tony-nominated lyricist Susan Birkenhead. The show features a book by Tony-winning writer Bob Martin, best known for The Drowsy Chaperone and The Prom.
Newcomer Jasmine Amy Rogers is taking on the lead role of Betty Boop.
“Those are huge shoes to fill, but I’m in such a great company. I have so many people around me that are helping me find her and bring her to life, and so it’s really, really exciting,” she told the Associated Press.
Tony winner Faith Prince, Madam Secretary actor Erich Bergen, Aladdin‘s Ainsley Melham, Boardwalk Empire‘s Stephen DeRosa, and Waitress actress Anastacia McCleskey round out the lead cast for the upcoming pre-Broadway run.
The music for the show was written by 16-time Grammy-winning composer David Foster and Tony-nominated lyricist Susan Birkenhead. The show features a book by Tony-winning writer Bob Martin, best known for The Drowsy Chaperone and The Prom.
- 9/28/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Jasmine Amy Rogers, who recently finished a run as the scene-stealing “Gretchen Wieners” in the national tour of Mean Girls, has been cast in the title role of the pre-Broadway world premiere of Boop! The Betty Boop Musical.
Rogers will play the iconic big-headed Jazz Age flapper for a limited engagement at Chicago’s Cibc Theatre from November 19-December 24. The production is part of the Broadway in Chicago line-up.
Directed and choreographed by Tony winning Jerry Mitchell, Boop! features music by composer David Foster, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead and a book by The Prom‘s Bob Martin.
Although the Chicago staging is described by producers as a “pre-Broadway premiere,” neither a Broadway production timeline nor Broadway casting has been disclosed yet.
“From the moment Jasmine walks into a room and shares that magnificent smile and her contagious laugh, you know you are in the presence of Betty Boop,...
Rogers will play the iconic big-headed Jazz Age flapper for a limited engagement at Chicago’s Cibc Theatre from November 19-December 24. The production is part of the Broadway in Chicago line-up.
Directed and choreographed by Tony winning Jerry Mitchell, Boop! features music by composer David Foster, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead and a book by The Prom‘s Bob Martin.
Although the Chicago staging is described by producers as a “pre-Broadway premiere,” neither a Broadway production timeline nor Broadway casting has been disclosed yet.
“From the moment Jasmine walks into a room and shares that magnificent smile and her contagious laugh, you know you are in the presence of Betty Boop,...
- 9/27/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Collector’s Call host Lisa Whelchel loves to delve deep with enthusiasts on the lookout for something special as host of the popular MeTV original series. The beloved The Facts of Life actress takes a trip down memory lane in each episode with collectors who have amassed unique pieces worth, in some cases, a small fortune. Welchel enlists the expertise of a professional appraiser to not only come up with the total value of these collections but also try to tempt the collectors with a trade. One coveted item for another. So far, season 4 featured iconic movie props and costumes, decades-old penny arcades, pinball machines, classic toys, Hollywood cars, motorcycles, and Barbie dolls. Not to mention the massive memorabilia treasure trove of Kiss, Garfield, Betty Boop, The Monkees, and everything in between. It has been quite the nostalgic ride for Whelchel as she travels the country hearing personal stories and building connections beyond the materialisc.
- 9/1/2023
- TV Insider
.
Genndy Tartakovsky has proudly become the auteur of adult 2D animation. His new “Unicorn Warriors: Eternal” steampunk series premieres May 4 on Adult Swim; he’s completing his R-rated dog comedy “Fixed” for release next year at Sony Pictures Animation; and he’s prepping for Season 3 of his Emmy-winning “Primal” series at Adult Swim, but departing from the prehistoric world.
With “Unicorn Warriors,” though, Tartakovsky combines his personal steampunk aesthetic with action and humor, going back to his old Cartoon Network days, but without the gore of “Primal” or “Samurai Jack.” It’s about three heroes — powerful sorceress Melinda (Hazel Doupe), cosmic monk Seng (Demari Hunte), and warrior elf Edred (Tom Milligan) — reawakened through eternity as teenagers to fight a mysterious supernatural force threatening humanity. In the first season, the three find themselves in industrial London, joined by a steam-powered robot, Copernicus.
“I started to develop it at the end of ‘Star Wars: Clone Wars,...
Genndy Tartakovsky has proudly become the auteur of adult 2D animation. His new “Unicorn Warriors: Eternal” steampunk series premieres May 4 on Adult Swim; he’s completing his R-rated dog comedy “Fixed” for release next year at Sony Pictures Animation; and he’s prepping for Season 3 of his Emmy-winning “Primal” series at Adult Swim, but departing from the prehistoric world.
With “Unicorn Warriors,” though, Tartakovsky combines his personal steampunk aesthetic with action and humor, going back to his old Cartoon Network days, but without the gore of “Primal” or “Samurai Jack.” It’s about three heroes — powerful sorceress Melinda (Hazel Doupe), cosmic monk Seng (Demari Hunte), and warrior elf Edred (Tom Milligan) — reawakened through eternity as teenagers to fight a mysterious supernatural force threatening humanity. In the first season, the three find themselves in industrial London, joined by a steam-powered robot, Copernicus.
“I started to develop it at the end of ‘Star Wars: Clone Wars,...
- 4/25/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The ‘90s were the decade of The Simpsons, sorry Seinfeld. The family was introduced in 1987 through a series of short clips in between skits on Fox’s The Tracey Ullman Show, overstayed their welcome and were spun off. The series debuted on Dec. 17, 1989 with a holiday special, “Simpsons Roasting on An Open Fire,” before hopping on the rotisserie of regular rotation on Jan. 14, 1990 with “Bart the Genius,” directed by David Silverman, and written by Jon Vitti.
The half-hour animated series was created by Matt Groening, who came up with it as a last-second pitch to foil his own plan to animate his comic strip Life in Hell. The Simpsons was produced by TV legend James L. Brooks, who drove The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Taxi, and Sam Simon, who wrote for Taxi and Cheers.
The voice talent continued over from the shorts. Dan Castellaneta performed the voices of Homer Simpson,...
The half-hour animated series was created by Matt Groening, who came up with it as a last-second pitch to foil his own plan to animate his comic strip Life in Hell. The Simpsons was produced by TV legend James L. Brooks, who drove The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Taxi, and Sam Simon, who wrote for Taxi and Cheers.
The voice talent continued over from the shorts. Dan Castellaneta performed the voices of Homer Simpson,...
- 4/23/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)
The Movie: "Forbidden Zone"
Where You Can Stream It: Tubi, Kanopy, Night Flight, Plex, Flixfling
The Pitch: Back in 1972, one Richard Elfman, then only a lad of 23, founded a musical theater troupe on the streets of Los Angeles called the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo. This was after performing music in Paris and being involved in numerous theater projects throughout his youth. The Mystic Knights were a massive band, consisting of 15 members, and dedicated to performing old songs from the 1920s through the 1940s. For an early glimpse of what kind of act the Mystic Knights performed, check out their appearance on "The Gong Show" in 1976. Richard is the one in the miniature rocket ship playing the train whistle.
The Movie: "Forbidden Zone"
Where You Can Stream It: Tubi, Kanopy, Night Flight, Plex, Flixfling
The Pitch: Back in 1972, one Richard Elfman, then only a lad of 23, founded a musical theater troupe on the streets of Los Angeles called the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo. This was after performing music in Paris and being involved in numerous theater projects throughout his youth. The Mystic Knights were a massive band, consisting of 15 members, and dedicated to performing old songs from the 1920s through the 1940s. For an early glimpse of what kind of act the Mystic Knights performed, check out their appearance on "The Gong Show" in 1976. Richard is the one in the miniature rocket ship playing the train whistle.
- 3/5/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for "Skinamarink."
Writer/director Kyle Edward Ball's "Skinamarink" is a wholly thrilling experience, a horror film that teaches you how to watch it while you watch it, a brazen work of experimental art released into domestic multiplexes, and cleaning up in the process, it seems. One of its innovations lies in the way its cinematography and aesthetic are constructed out of liminal spaces. As /Film's Joe Roberts pointed out recently, Ball is an avowed fan of the meme, admitting that a subreddit devoted to liminal spaces influenced him when making the film. The subreddit defines the term using text from the Cambridge Art Association:
"A liminal space is the time between the 'what was' and the 'next.' It is a place of transition, a season of waiting, and not knowing. Liminal space is where all transformation takes place."
Gee, that sounds kinda similar to:...
Writer/director Kyle Edward Ball's "Skinamarink" is a wholly thrilling experience, a horror film that teaches you how to watch it while you watch it, a brazen work of experimental art released into domestic multiplexes, and cleaning up in the process, it seems. One of its innovations lies in the way its cinematography and aesthetic are constructed out of liminal spaces. As /Film's Joe Roberts pointed out recently, Ball is an avowed fan of the meme, admitting that a subreddit devoted to liminal spaces influenced him when making the film. The subreddit defines the term using text from the Cambridge Art Association:
"A liminal space is the time between the 'what was' and the 'next.' It is a place of transition, a season of waiting, and not knowing. Liminal space is where all transformation takes place."
Gee, that sounds kinda similar to:...
- 1/18/2023
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
Power Trip
By Jason Young
160 pages/25/Oldtimes Blue Ribbon Digest
Growing up in the 1970s, comic book readers didn’t have a lot in the way of extensions of their favorite characters. There was the occasional novel and ABC’s Super Friends, but really, little else. As a result, getting new stories or new versions of stories on an album featuring your favorite heroes seemed like manna from Heaven.
Power Records or Peter Pan Records filled that gap, beginning in the early 1970s and petering out in the early 1980s. They may be best remembered for the wonderful art produced for the album covers by Continuity Studios, the outfit run by Neal Adams and (briefly) Dick Giordano. They featured familiar vocal talent and the stories weren’t half bad. They were successful enough that their thirty or so releases were repackaged time and again, eventually eschewing vinyl for cassette tapes to retain the audience.
By Jason Young
160 pages/25/Oldtimes Blue Ribbon Digest
Growing up in the 1970s, comic book readers didn’t have a lot in the way of extensions of their favorite characters. There was the occasional novel and ABC’s Super Friends, but really, little else. As a result, getting new stories or new versions of stories on an album featuring your favorite heroes seemed like manna from Heaven.
Power Records or Peter Pan Records filled that gap, beginning in the early 1970s and petering out in the early 1980s. They may be best remembered for the wonderful art produced for the album covers by Continuity Studios, the outfit run by Neal Adams and (briefly) Dick Giordano. They featured familiar vocal talent and the stories weren’t half bad. They were successful enough that their thirty or so releases were repackaged time and again, eventually eschewing vinyl for cassette tapes to retain the audience.
- 8/15/2022
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
• Tom and Lorenzo Jessica Chastain goes full disco queen at the premiere of The Eyes of Tammy Faye
• Out Very sad about this. HBOMax has cancelled the excellent queer series that you aren't watching Genera+ion. We can only hope its ferociously talented leading man Justice Smith gets another role as good soon. Martha Plimpton the shows other Mvp is never lacking for work so we don't worry about her
• Forbes why Chris Nolan chose Universal as he leaves his longtime Warner Bros home
Betty Boop, Simu Liu, Miriam Margolyes, Stephen Sondheim, The Bodyguard, and more after the jump...
• Out Very sad about this. HBOMax has cancelled the excellent queer series that you aren't watching Genera+ion. We can only hope its ferociously talented leading man Justice Smith gets another role as good soon. Martha Plimpton the shows other Mvp is never lacking for work so we don't worry about her
• Forbes why Chris Nolan chose Universal as he leaves his longtime Warner Bros home
Betty Boop, Simu Liu, Miriam Margolyes, Stephen Sondheim, The Bodyguard, and more after the jump...
- 9/17/2021
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
When most of us hear the word “animation,” we think of cuddly imagery from Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse cartoons. We generally don’t think about sexual assault, racism and violence.
But the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures’ core exhibition, “Stories of Cinema,” showcases a more problematic side of animation history. A three-gallery experience titled “Inventing Worlds and Characters” looks back at questionable imagery and tropes. Through these galleries, they are exploring animation, effects and encounters. It both exists as its own genre and encompasses every other genre such as westerns, noir, documentaries, and more. It’s also a craft that encompasses all the other crafts such as production and costume design, editing, etc.
“When you have a completely unlimited craft by the laws of physics, you can have wondrous examples of pure imagination,” says assistant curator Dara Jaffe. “Still, you also get these extremely grotesque depictions that reflect the racism of the current time.
But the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures’ core exhibition, “Stories of Cinema,” showcases a more problematic side of animation history. A three-gallery experience titled “Inventing Worlds and Characters” looks back at questionable imagery and tropes. Through these galleries, they are exploring animation, effects and encounters. It both exists as its own genre and encompasses every other genre such as westerns, noir, documentaries, and more. It’s also a craft that encompasses all the other crafts such as production and costume design, editing, etc.
“When you have a completely unlimited craft by the laws of physics, you can have wondrous examples of pure imagination,” says assistant curator Dara Jaffe. “Still, you also get these extremely grotesque depictions that reflect the racism of the current time.
- 9/17/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The Bible says eyes are a window to the soul, and the scripture ain’t lying when it comes to The Eyes of Tammy Faye. If you can look past all the clutter and myriad distractions, there is a resilient and even boisterous spirit radiating from Jessica Chastain every time you meet her gaze. Yet it’s sometimes hard to notice—and not because of all the makeup and prosthetics they add to the actress’ face as the movie goes along. Rather what traps this richly textured performance is the glossy and fairly shallow biopic in which it’s situated. Here is a Hollywood movie that has bottomless reservoirs of empathy for its real life subject matter, but little interest in understanding or digging deep into the world that used and abused her.
The window reveals a soul, but what good is it if the curtains are half-drawn?
As a narrative,...
The window reveals a soul, but what good is it if the curtains are half-drawn?
As a narrative,...
- 9/13/2021
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
The Notebook Primer introduces readers to some of the most important figures, films, genres, and movements in film history.Velvet Goldmine (1998)Todd Haynes’ Velvet Goldmine (1998) opens with a confession that swiftly becomes a command: “Although what you are about to see is a work of fiction, it should nevertheless be played at maximum volume.” Those words, mischievously repurposed from Martin Scorsese’s concert film The Last Waltz (1978), herald one of the great pop music fantasias: a cinema à clef that reimagines ’70s glam rock in an alternate dimension, where fictional versions of David Bowie, Iggy Pop and others perform a parallel version of history as we know it. Embracing the period’s mutable personae and camp energies, the film evokes the spirit of its patron saint, Oscar Wilde—depicted as the original pop star, descended to Earth from outer space—treating “art as the supreme reality and life as a mere mode of fiction,...
- 8/12/2021
- MUBI
“Space Jam: A New Legacy” director Malcolm D. Lee and voice actress Zendaya told Entertainment Weekly in a new interview they were surprised by the outrage over redesigning Lola Bunny in order to make the character appear less sexualized. Lee confirmed the redesign in March, saying Lola’s original look from the 1996 was “not politically correct…like Betty Boop mixed with Jessica Rabbit.”
“Lola [Bunny] was very sexualized,” Lee said at the time. “This is a kids’ movie, why is she in a crop top? It just felt unnecessary, but at the same time there’s a long history of that in cartoons.”
News of Lola’s desexualized redesign created a “super weird” controversy, Lee said in the aftermath of the outrage. The filmmaker added, “I had no idea that people would be that up in arms about a bunny not having boobs. Listen, I understand people don’t want things to change,...
“Lola [Bunny] was very sexualized,” Lee said at the time. “This is a kids’ movie, why is she in a crop top? It just felt unnecessary, but at the same time there’s a long history of that in cartoons.”
News of Lola’s desexualized redesign created a “super weird” controversy, Lee said in the aftermath of the outrage. The filmmaker added, “I had no idea that people would be that up in arms about a bunny not having boobs. Listen, I understand people don’t want things to change,...
- 7/12/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Taraji P. Henson was the hostess with the most costume changes at the 2021 BET Awards, rocking multiple looks to pay homage to the Black women who’ve inspired her, ranging from Erykah Badu, Betty Boop, and performer/winner H.E.R.
The 2021 broadcast was all about “The Year of the Black Woman,” and Henson was particularly hyped to salute Queen Latifah with the Lifetime Achievement Award during the ceremony.
“I’m a huge Queen Latifah fan. She taught me to go for it all in Hollywood — not just to be an actress, but to produce and direct,” Henson told Variety on the red carpet Sunday in Los Angeles. “She led the way and I’m so grateful for her getting being recognized. It’s long overdue.”
Latifah took the Microsoft Theater stage after a star-studded performance tribute featuring Lil Kim, Monie Love, Rapsody and Mc Lyte. The multi-hyphenate entertainer got emotional accepting the award,...
The 2021 broadcast was all about “The Year of the Black Woman,” and Henson was particularly hyped to salute Queen Latifah with the Lifetime Achievement Award during the ceremony.
“I’m a huge Queen Latifah fan. She taught me to go for it all in Hollywood — not just to be an actress, but to produce and direct,” Henson told Variety on the red carpet Sunday in Los Angeles. “She led the way and I’m so grateful for her getting being recognized. It’s long overdue.”
Latifah took the Microsoft Theater stage after a star-studded performance tribute featuring Lil Kim, Monie Love, Rapsody and Mc Lyte. The multi-hyphenate entertainer got emotional accepting the award,...
- 6/28/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Big Freedia has released a brand new dance single, “Betty Bussit,” in celebration of LGBTQ Pride.
“This song was inspired by Betty Boop and Baby Esther (the cartoon character + performer),” the Queen of Bounce said of the track. “Those queens were the original Divas! They were curvy and sexy and captivating performers.”
In keeping with the theme, the music video for “Betty Bussit” shows Big Freedia and a cadre of flapper girls dancing in a club. They’re joined by the song’s two guests, Soaky Siren and Tank and the Bangas.
“This song was inspired by Betty Boop and Baby Esther (the cartoon character + performer),” the Queen of Bounce said of the track. “Those queens were the original Divas! They were curvy and sexy and captivating performers.”
In keeping with the theme, the music video for “Betty Bussit” shows Big Freedia and a cadre of flapper girls dancing in a club. They’re joined by the song’s two guests, Soaky Siren and Tank and the Bangas.
- 6/25/2021
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
It’s not a critic’s place to say (or to know) if “American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally” only exists because producer and star Meadow Williams — eager to jumpstart an unremarkable career that might have reached its high point with a small part in the Mel Gibson Hulu movie “Boss Level” — used some of the $800 million fortune she controversially inherited from her much older and very dead vitamin tycoon husband to buy herself a starring role in a biopic so chintzy that it seems like even Al “I’ll do literally anything as long as my hair gets to look like a dead bird” Pacino had to get Bowfingered into being in it.
All a critic can say is that no other explanation would seem to account for the unnatural lifelessness of this film about the first woman ever convicted for treason against the United States. No other...
All a critic can say is that no other explanation would seem to account for the unnatural lifelessness of this film about the first woman ever convicted for treason against the United States. No other...
- 5/28/2021
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
A pair of city slickers find predictable trouble in deepest New England – but Devereux Milburn’s shocker has an atmospheric edge
A first feature from director of short films Devereux Milburn, co-written by Milburn and the film’s cinematographer-producer Dan Kennedy, this is a stylised, unsettling horror jaunt that plays interesting variations on an all-too-familiar plot premise. Sam and Riley, a good-looking couple in their 20s, played respectively by Sawyer Spielberg and Malin Barr, takes the always foolish decision to leave the safety of the city for a camping trip. In this case, they elect to pitch their tent somewhere in rural New England because Riley is working on a doctoral thesis about a (fictitious) fungal infection in wheat that causes gangrene and madness in cows and people.
However, they soon get run off their campsite by the local farmer (Stephen D’Ambrose), and a flat car battery forces them to...
A first feature from director of short films Devereux Milburn, co-written by Milburn and the film’s cinematographer-producer Dan Kennedy, this is a stylised, unsettling horror jaunt that plays interesting variations on an all-too-familiar plot premise. Sam and Riley, a good-looking couple in their 20s, played respectively by Sawyer Spielberg and Malin Barr, takes the always foolish decision to leave the safety of the city for a camping trip. In this case, they elect to pitch their tent somewhere in rural New England because Riley is working on a doctoral thesis about a (fictitious) fungal infection in wheat that causes gangrene and madness in cows and people.
However, they soon get run off their campsite by the local farmer (Stephen D’Ambrose), and a flat car battery forces them to...
- 3/23/2021
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
“Space Jam: A New Legacy” promises to bring a contemporary twist to the beloved Warner Bros. live-action/animated hybrid original — and it’s not just because it centers on basketball star LeBron James in place of Michael Jordan this time around. One element that’s getting what the filmmakers see as a necessary refresh is the design of the character Lola Bunny, voiced by Kath Soucie, who plays for the Tune Squad and with whom Bugs Bunny falls in love.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Malcolm D. Lee (director on films including “Girls Trip” and “The Best Man”) said he was surprised at how “not politically correct” the character’s original design was.
“Lola [Bunny] was very sexualized, like Betty Boop mixed with Jessica Rabbit,” he said. “Lola was not politically correct…. This is a kids’ movie, why is she in a crop top? It just felt unnecessary, but...
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Malcolm D. Lee (director on films including “Girls Trip” and “The Best Man”) said he was surprised at how “not politically correct” the character’s original design was.
“Lola [Bunny] was very sexualized, like Betty Boop mixed with Jessica Rabbit,” he said. “Lola was not politically correct…. This is a kids’ movie, why is she in a crop top? It just felt unnecessary, but...
- 3/6/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Spoiler Alert: Do not read ahead if you have not watched the two-hour Season 4, Episode 10 of “The Masked Singer,” which aired Dec. 2 on Fox.
It was a mega unmasking on Wednesday as Fox’s “The Masked Singer” revealed three celebrities in a special 2-hour semi-final edition: Singer/songwriter Tori Kelly (as the Seahorse), music icon Taylor Dayne (as Popcorn) and snowboarding Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim (as Jellyfish) were all eliminated.
Among the panelists, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Nicole Scherzinger and guest panelist Craig Robinson figured out that Popcorn was Dayne. Robin Thicke and Ken Jeong thought it was Tina Turner.
Jeong determined that Jellyfish was indeed Kim, which Robinson then copied. Thicke went with another Olympic gold medalist, Gabby Douglas. McCarthy Wahlberg also went with an Olympian: McKayla Maroney. Scherzinger thought it was Grimes.
Thicke and Scherzinger knew that Seahorse was Kelly, and Robinson also took that pick. Jeong thought it was Christina Aguilera,...
It was a mega unmasking on Wednesday as Fox’s “The Masked Singer” revealed three celebrities in a special 2-hour semi-final edition: Singer/songwriter Tori Kelly (as the Seahorse), music icon Taylor Dayne (as Popcorn) and snowboarding Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim (as Jellyfish) were all eliminated.
Among the panelists, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Nicole Scherzinger and guest panelist Craig Robinson figured out that Popcorn was Dayne. Robin Thicke and Ken Jeong thought it was Tina Turner.
Jeong determined that Jellyfish was indeed Kim, which Robinson then copied. Thicke went with another Olympic gold medalist, Gabby Douglas. McCarthy Wahlberg also went with an Olympian: McKayla Maroney. Scherzinger thought it was Grimes.
Thicke and Scherzinger knew that Seahorse was Kelly, and Robinson also took that pick. Jeong thought it was Christina Aguilera,...
- 12/3/2020
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
“And now that I have your attention, I’ll begin.”
This is what Richard E. Grant says, staring out at you from your TV screen, in a medium shot, against an orange background, after a good 10 seconds or so of complete silence. Why the noted, Oscar-nominated British actor is addressing you, the viewer, is unclear; it is the first in a series of queries you will have as AMC’s Dispatches From Elsewhere begins, and a seriously odd way to start a series. All we know is that he promises to be a reliable narrator,...
This is what Richard E. Grant says, staring out at you from your TV screen, in a medium shot, against an orange background, after a good 10 seconds or so of complete silence. Why the noted, Oscar-nominated British actor is addressing you, the viewer, is unclear; it is the first in a series of queries you will have as AMC’s Dispatches From Elsewhere begins, and a seriously odd way to start a series. All we know is that he promises to be a reliable narrator,...
- 3/2/2020
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
Comedian and talk show host Michelle Collins will join Woman’s Day Editor in Chief Susan Spencer to host the 17th annual Woman’s Day Red Dress Awards on February 4.
The B-52s, one of rock music’s most beloved and enduring bands will headline the event and two-time Tony Award winning actress and star of TV Land’s “Younger” Sutton Foster will open the program.
Other expected guests include: Betsey Johnson, Mindy Grossman, President and Chief Executive Officer, WW; Joy Bauer, Star Jones, Ashley Haas, Gloria Reuben, Dorinda Medley, Jackie Goldschneider, Kate Chastain, Haley Kalil, Joy Corrigan, Elena Matei and beloved icon Betty Boop.
The Red Dress Awards is a night of awards and performances recognizing advocates and organizations helping women take charge of their heart health. This year’s honorees include: Mindy Grossman, President and Chief Executive Officer, WW; and Annabelle Volgman M.D., F.A.C.C.
The B-52s, one of rock music’s most beloved and enduring bands will headline the event and two-time Tony Award winning actress and star of TV Land’s “Younger” Sutton Foster will open the program.
Other expected guests include: Betsey Johnson, Mindy Grossman, President and Chief Executive Officer, WW; Joy Bauer, Star Jones, Ashley Haas, Gloria Reuben, Dorinda Medley, Jackie Goldschneider, Kate Chastain, Haley Kalil, Joy Corrigan, Elena Matei and beloved icon Betty Boop.
The Red Dress Awards is a night of awards and performances recognizing advocates and organizations helping women take charge of their heart health. This year’s honorees include: Mindy Grossman, President and Chief Executive Officer, WW; and Annabelle Volgman M.D., F.A.C.C.
- 1/29/2020
- Look to the Stars
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