Jimmy Kimmel could hardly contain himself Thursday night, opening his monologue by jumping right into the news that he was mentioned in the ongoing criminal trial of former President Donald Trump.
“I am very excited, I am very proud, I’m exhilarated even,” Kimmel told his audience. “Because from here on, we aren’t just following the Donald Trump drama in New York. We are part of it.”
Text messages entered into evidence by the prosecution yesterday showed a 2018 exchange between Trump’s then-attorney Michael Cohen and Keith Davidson, who represented Stormy Daniels in the hush money payment, discussing an interview with Daniels on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
The interview in question took place on January 30, 2018, following the State of the Union. In it, Kimmel brought up a letter Daniels had allegedly signed denying she had an affair with Trump, pressing Daniels on whether the signature was authentic.
Continue reading Jimmy...
“I am very excited, I am very proud, I’m exhilarated even,” Kimmel told his audience. “Because from here on, we aren’t just following the Donald Trump drama in New York. We are part of it.”
Text messages entered into evidence by the prosecution yesterday showed a 2018 exchange between Trump’s then-attorney Michael Cohen and Keith Davidson, who represented Stormy Daniels in the hush money payment, discussing an interview with Daniels on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
The interview in question took place on January 30, 2018, following the State of the Union. In it, Kimmel brought up a letter Daniels had allegedly signed denying she had an affair with Trump, pressing Daniels on whether the signature was authentic.
Continue reading Jimmy...
- 5/3/2024
- by Nick Riccardo
- LateNighter
Former President Donald Trump accused President Joe Biden of being high on cocaine during his State of the Union speech last month and demanded that the president take a drug test before future debates.
“I think what happened is you know that white stuff that they happened to find, which happened to be cocaine in the White House, I don’t know, I think something’s going on there, because I watched this State of the Union, and he was all jacked up at the beginning,” Trump said during an interview with the conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.
Trump was referencing the discovery last summer of a powdered substance in the White House, which later tested positive for cocaine. The Secret Service was unable to determine who left it there but speculated it was a visitor.
“By the end, he was fading fast,” Trump added. “There’s something going on there.
“I think what happened is you know that white stuff that they happened to find, which happened to be cocaine in the White House, I don’t know, I think something’s going on there, because I watched this State of the Union, and he was all jacked up at the beginning,” Trump said during an interview with the conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.
Trump was referencing the discovery last summer of a powdered substance in the White House, which later tested positive for cocaine. The Secret Service was unable to determine who left it there but speculated it was a visitor.
“By the end, he was fading fast,” Trump added. “There’s something going on there.
- 4/9/2024
- by Alessio Atria
- Uinterview
Saturday Night Live‘s Weekend Update addressed Friday’s 4.8 magnitude earthquake that was centered in New Jersey but was felt hundreds of miles away, as well as Donald Trump’s latest unsubstantiated allegation about President Joe Biden.
Colin Jost began: “Well yesterday, everyone in New York pretended they felt an earthquake. Just admit it, you thought it was wind.”
“This earthquake was actually the best possible disaster,” Jost continued. “It was kind of like the time I saw my dad in the shower. It was a little scary, there was no permanent damage,...
Colin Jost began: “Well yesterday, everyone in New York pretended they felt an earthquake. Just admit it, you thought it was wind.”
“This earthquake was actually the best possible disaster,” Jost continued. “It was kind of like the time I saw my dad in the shower. It was a little scary, there was no permanent damage,...
- 4/7/2024
- by William Vaillancourt
- Rollingstone.com
Chris Smith’s “Devo” will open the ninth edition of Chicago’s Doc10 documentary film festival on May 2.
The film, which premiered at Sundance 2024, charts the life of the art-movement-turned-band Devo from Akron, Ohio, through archival footage of the band and candid sit-down interviews with band members. Smith follows the band on their journey from Dadaist, Kent State radicals to unlikely icons of 1980s MTV. Currently celebrating their 50 years of De-Evolution Tour, Devo band members will join Doc10 in a live, virtual Q&a moderated by Wxrt’s Marty Lennartz.
Doc10, a four-day fest running May 2-5, features a selection of 10 documentaries making their Chicago premieres along with a package of 10 prestigious documentary shorts. The fest is hosted by Chicago Media Project, a company that has generated more than $8.5 million in funding for documentary projects. Cmp has directly supported over 150 films including “Icarus,” “Crip Camp” and most recently “Gaucho, Gaucho,...
The film, which premiered at Sundance 2024, charts the life of the art-movement-turned-band Devo from Akron, Ohio, through archival footage of the band and candid sit-down interviews with band members. Smith follows the band on their journey from Dadaist, Kent State radicals to unlikely icons of 1980s MTV. Currently celebrating their 50 years of De-Evolution Tour, Devo band members will join Doc10 in a live, virtual Q&a moderated by Wxrt’s Marty Lennartz.
Doc10, a four-day fest running May 2-5, features a selection of 10 documentaries making their Chicago premieres along with a package of 10 prestigious documentary shorts. The fest is hosted by Chicago Media Project, a company that has generated more than $8.5 million in funding for documentary projects. Cmp has directly supported over 150 films including “Icarus,” “Crip Camp” and most recently “Gaucho, Gaucho,...
- 4/3/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
The Georgia State House passed a bill that makes it easier for police to arrest suspected illegal immigrants.
The bill would make it easier for police departments to identify and arrest undocumented immigrants. Under the proposed law, sheriffs must report to federal authorities if someone they arrest does not have documentation. Local governments could lose state funding if they don’t report such cases.
The state House voted 97-74 for House Bill 1105, which was sponsored by state Rep. Jesse Petrea (R).
The bill comes after Laken Riley, an Augusta University nursing student, was beaten to death by an undocumented immigrant. On February 22, she was found dead in the woods on the University of Georgia’s campus after her roommate called the police, reporting that she did not return from a morning run. The man accused of the crime is a Venezuelan migrant Jose Ibarra, who crossed into the U.S.
The bill would make it easier for police departments to identify and arrest undocumented immigrants. Under the proposed law, sheriffs must report to federal authorities if someone they arrest does not have documentation. Local governments could lose state funding if they don’t report such cases.
The state House voted 97-74 for House Bill 1105, which was sponsored by state Rep. Jesse Petrea (R).
The bill comes after Laken Riley, an Augusta University nursing student, was beaten to death by an undocumented immigrant. On February 22, she was found dead in the woods on the University of Georgia’s campus after her roommate called the police, reporting that she did not return from a morning run. The man accused of the crime is a Venezuelan migrant Jose Ibarra, who crossed into the U.S.
- 3/28/2024
- by Anushka Desai
- Uinterview
Coming straight from Sundance with their respective buzzy docs “Power” – a Netflix Original – and “Union,” U.S. director/producer Yance Ford and his Canadian counterpart Brett Story delivered March 20 an empowering talk at Copenhagen’s “Film:makers in Dialogue” session, where they bounced ideas between each other about power structure in American society, capitalism, race and class divides from historical and contemporary perspectives.
“Power,” which was competing at Cph:dox for the Human Rights Award, is a forceful documentary essay on the origin of U.S. policing spanning 300 years, turning on its dynamics and impact on American society. “I’m interested in U.S. institutions, power, control in our society,” said Ford about his sophomore feature and follow up to his Academy Award-nominated “Strong Island,” acquired by Netflix for global distribution in 2017.
“After the George Floyd murder [in 2020], I saw the way the police was acting with unfiltered violence towards people protesting, and decided to step back.
“Power,” which was competing at Cph:dox for the Human Rights Award, is a forceful documentary essay on the origin of U.S. policing spanning 300 years, turning on its dynamics and impact on American society. “I’m interested in U.S. institutions, power, control in our society,” said Ford about his sophomore feature and follow up to his Academy Award-nominated “Strong Island,” acquired by Netflix for global distribution in 2017.
“After the George Floyd murder [in 2020], I saw the way the police was acting with unfiltered violence towards people protesting, and decided to step back.
- 3/22/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Sen. Katie Britt may have been the butt of the joke on Saturday Night Live over the weekend, but the freshman politician from Alabama found it “awesome” that Scarlett Johansson played her in the cold open.
While talking with with Sen. Ted Cruz on his podcast Wednesday, Britt said she was “pretty pumped” at the site of Johansson in her green shirt and diamond crucifix necklace. The much-anticipated skit was in response to Britt’s bizarre State of the Union response.
“I’ve got to be honest with you, a bingo card for 2024 for Katie Britt. I did not have this on it, right?” Britt told Cruz. “It certainly didn’t have Scarlett Johansson playing me. … We were talking to the kids about all of it and they were like, ‘Oh my gosh, mom’ …. and I said, ‘You know, look. It could have been worse. You have Black Widow.’ They...
While talking with with Sen. Ted Cruz on his podcast Wednesday, Britt said she was “pretty pumped” at the site of Johansson in her green shirt and diamond crucifix necklace. The much-anticipated skit was in response to Britt’s bizarre State of the Union response.
“I’ve got to be honest with you, a bingo card for 2024 for Katie Britt. I did not have this on it, right?” Britt told Cruz. “It certainly didn’t have Scarlett Johansson playing me. … We were talking to the kids about all of it and they were like, ‘Oh my gosh, mom’ …. and I said, ‘You know, look. It could have been worse. You have Black Widow.’ They...
- 3/14/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
90 Day Fiance alum Paul Staehle would like to hook up with Angela Deem. Perhaps he feels that he and her ex, Michael Ilesanmi share some traits that she might find attractive. Then again, TLC fans might struggle to find what those might be. At least, apart from the fact that they both ran away.
Paul Staehle Is Extremely Unpopular
Karine and Paul were always a dramatic couple. More him than her, but TLC fans agreed they were very toxic together. As usual, Angela Deem brings lots of drama to the 90 Day Fiance franchise. However, Paul took it to the next level by disappearing with his son, Pierre in 2022 when the child should have been with Cps.
Angela Deem and Michael Ilesanmi – 90 Day Fiance – Instagram
Paul Staehle later went to Brazil and hooked up with very young women which disgusted 90 Day Fiance fans. But, he was also...
Paul Staehle Is Extremely Unpopular
Karine and Paul were always a dramatic couple. More him than her, but TLC fans agreed they were very toxic together. As usual, Angela Deem brings lots of drama to the 90 Day Fiance franchise. However, Paul took it to the next level by disappearing with his son, Pierre in 2022 when the child should have been with Cps.
Angela Deem and Michael Ilesanmi – 90 Day Fiance – Instagram
Paul Staehle later went to Brazil and hooked up with very young women which disgusted 90 Day Fiance fans. But, he was also...
- 3/13/2024
- by James Michael
- TV Shows Ace
Less than a week after President Biden delivered his latest State of the Union Address in real life, the Potus and Flotus of Tyler Perry’s The Oval made a few declarations of their own on Tuesday’s Season 5 finale. And how are things going at the White House, you ask? As the great philosopher Dorinda Medley once said, “Not well, bitch!”
Heading into the season’s final hour, Hunter and Victoria’s relationship was already at an all-time low, which is saying a lot considering we met this couple mid-fistfight on the night of his inaugural ball. But if...
Heading into the season’s final hour, Hunter and Victoria’s relationship was already at an all-time low, which is saying a lot considering we met this couple mid-fistfight on the night of his inaugural ball. But if...
- 3/13/2024
- by Andy Swift
- TVLine.com
Toronto’s Hot Docs, North America’s largest documentary festival, has unveiled the full lineup of films that will screen in its Special Presentations program. The festival runs April 25 to May 5.
World premieres include “Red Fever,” which sees Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond travel to the four corners of Turtle Island and across Europe to explore the world’s fascination with Native Americans; “American Cats: The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly,” in which “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee” correspondent Amy Hoggart explores the controversial practice of declawing cats; “The Ride Ahead,” an expansion of co-director Samuel Habib’s short film “My Disability Roadmap” (which got an Honorable Mention in the International Shorts section of Hot Docs in 2022), exploring a typical 21-year-old itching to move out, start a career and find love—all while navigating life with a disability; “Lost in the Shuffle,” which follows world champion magician Shawn Farquhar as...
World premieres include “Red Fever,” which sees Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond travel to the four corners of Turtle Island and across Europe to explore the world’s fascination with Native Americans; “American Cats: The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly,” in which “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee” correspondent Amy Hoggart explores the controversial practice of declawing cats; “The Ride Ahead,” an expansion of co-director Samuel Habib’s short film “My Disability Roadmap” (which got an Honorable Mention in the International Shorts section of Hot Docs in 2022), exploring a typical 21-year-old itching to move out, start a career and find love—all while navigating life with a disability; “Lost in the Shuffle,” which follows world champion magician Shawn Farquhar as...
- 3/12/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Scarlett Johansson impersonated Sen. Katie Britt (R-Alabama) on Saturday Night Live‘s cold open segment.
The segment poked fun at Britt’s odd response to President Joe Biden‘s State of the Union address. Britt’s speech sparked backlash for telling the story of a human trafficking victim whom Britt suggested took place under Biden’s watch – the incident, in fact, occurred under the George W. Bush administration.
In the mock State of the Union address, many notable figures were parodied, including Mikey Day as President Biden, Heidi Gardner as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Georgia), Punkie Johnson as Vice President Kamala Harris and Ego Nwodim as CNN’s Abby Phillips.
“Folks, tonight I’m going to cover a lot. There’s going to be a lot of applause. So, Kamala, I hope you didn’t skip leg day, girl. You’re going to be up and down all night,” Day,...
The segment poked fun at Britt’s odd response to President Joe Biden‘s State of the Union address. Britt’s speech sparked backlash for telling the story of a human trafficking victim whom Britt suggested took place under Biden’s watch – the incident, in fact, occurred under the George W. Bush administration.
In the mock State of the Union address, many notable figures were parodied, including Mikey Day as President Biden, Heidi Gardner as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Georgia), Punkie Johnson as Vice President Kamala Harris and Ego Nwodim as CNN’s Abby Phillips.
“Folks, tonight I’m going to cover a lot. There’s going to be a lot of applause. So, Kamala, I hope you didn’t skip leg day, girl. You’re going to be up and down all night,” Day,...
- 3/12/2024
- by Ann Hoang
- Uinterview
Donald Trump kicked off Monday morning bright and early with a wide-ranging interview on CNBC, during which he reminded viewers that a second Trump term would bring massive cuts to the entitlements they’ve been paying into for decades.
“There is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting, and in terms of also the theft and the bad management of entitlements,” the former president told CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” responding to a question about Social Security and Medicare.
“I know that they’re going...
“There is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting, and in terms of also the theft and the bad management of entitlements,” the former president told CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” responding to a question about Social Security and Medicare.
“I know that they’re going...
- 3/11/2024
- by Nikki McCann Ramirez
- Rollingstone.com
Progressive groups are launching a coalition to defend lawmakers targeted by America’s top pro-Israel lobby and counter its sway in Congress.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or Aipac, is a powerhouse Washington influence machine. Bankrolled in large part by Republican megadonors, the group has the resources to tip elections, spends millions on lobbying, and wields its supporters as a potent grassroots activist army in Congress.
This year, Aipac is reportedly prepared to spend $100 million to defeat candidates who are “insufficiently supportive of Israel,” as Politico put it.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or Aipac, is a powerhouse Washington influence machine. Bankrolled in large part by Republican megadonors, the group has the resources to tip elections, spends millions on lobbying, and wields its supporters as a potent grassroots activist army in Congress.
This year, Aipac is reportedly prepared to spend $100 million to defeat candidates who are “insufficiently supportive of Israel,” as Politico put it.
- 3/11/2024
- by Andrew Perez and Nikki McCann Ramirez
- Rollingstone.com
With a minute or so to kill before the end of this year’s Oscars, Jimmy Kimmel read out a review of his performance as host of the Oscars.
Kimmel read the social media post from his phone, “Has there ever been a worse host than Jimmy Kimmel at The Oscars. His opening was that of a less than average person trying too hard to be something which he is not, and never can be. Get rid of Kimmel and perhaps replace him with another washed up, but cheap, ABC ‘talent,’ George Slopanopoulos. He would make everybody on stage look bigger, stronger, and more glamorous. Blah. Blah. Blah. Make America Great Again.”
Related: ‘Oppenheimer’ Director Christopher Nolan Takes Home Directing Prize And Thanks Academy For Cementing His Legacy
Related: Cillian Murphy Dedicates ‘Oppenheimer’ Best Actor Oscar To “Peacemakers Everywhere”
What Kimmel was reading was an actual Truth Social post from Donald Trump.
Kimmel read the social media post from his phone, “Has there ever been a worse host than Jimmy Kimmel at The Oscars. His opening was that of a less than average person trying too hard to be something which he is not, and never can be. Get rid of Kimmel and perhaps replace him with another washed up, but cheap, ABC ‘talent,’ George Slopanopoulos. He would make everybody on stage look bigger, stronger, and more glamorous. Blah. Blah. Blah. Make America Great Again.”
Related: ‘Oppenheimer’ Director Christopher Nolan Takes Home Directing Prize And Thanks Academy For Cementing His Legacy
Related: Cillian Murphy Dedicates ‘Oppenheimer’ Best Actor Oscar To “Peacemakers Everywhere”
What Kimmel was reading was an actual Truth Social post from Donald Trump.
- 3/11/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
The film season leading up to the 2024 Academy Awards provided four-time host Jimmy Kimmel with endless material for this year’s opening monologue. Taking his pick, the late-night comedian kicked off the night with a skit, complaining about being hungry while sitting alongside a teary-eyed Margot Robbie in place of the old woman she called beautiful in Barbie.
When he finally made it onto the stage, Kimmel kept his Barbie stan-dom going, noting one of the biggest snubs of the season: Greta Gerwig not being nominated for Best Director. When...
When he finally made it onto the stage, Kimmel kept his Barbie stan-dom going, noting one of the biggest snubs of the season: Greta Gerwig not being nominated for Best Director. When...
- 3/10/2024
- by Larisha Paul
- Rollingstone.com
Jimmy Kimmel left his usual late-night beefs off the Oscar stage tonight, ignoring Trump, Santos, Aaron Rodgers to focus entirely on Hollywood’s big night, with only one not-so-veiled political jab included in a mostly gentle opening segment.
In a very brief pre-taped bit that had Kimmel telling Barbie that he hadn’t eaten in three weeks, the fourth-time Oscar host began his monologue by noting that the ABC broadcast — which started an hour earlier than usual — was already running five minutes behind schedule (true). Not to worry, he added, “We’ll still end very, very late.”
The comedian took an early swipe at flop Madame Web, saying, “This night is full of enormous talent, and untold potential, but so was Madame Web.”
Kimmel also got in an early swipe at the classic Mattel doll that spawned this year’s blockbuster, saying that his wife, until Barbie, was less likely...
In a very brief pre-taped bit that had Kimmel telling Barbie that he hadn’t eaten in three weeks, the fourth-time Oscar host began his monologue by noting that the ABC broadcast — which started an hour earlier than usual — was already running five minutes behind schedule (true). Not to worry, he added, “We’ll still end very, very late.”
The comedian took an early swipe at flop Madame Web, saying, “This night is full of enormous talent, and untold potential, but so was Madame Web.”
Kimmel also got in an early swipe at the classic Mattel doll that spawned this year’s blockbuster, saying that his wife, until Barbie, was less likely...
- 3/10/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not abide President Joe Biden’s “red line” warning not to invade Rafah in Gaza, where more than a million Palestinians have sought refuge from the ongoing assault.
“We’ll go there. We’re not going to leave. You know, I have a red line. You know what the red line is, that Oct. 7 doesn’t happen again. Never happens again,” Netanyahu said Sunday, according to Politico.
Biden and his administration have urged Israel not to invade or launch a major offensive on Rafah...
“We’ll go there. We’re not going to leave. You know, I have a red line. You know what the red line is, that Oct. 7 doesn’t happen again. Never happens again,” Netanyahu said Sunday, according to Politico.
Biden and his administration have urged Israel not to invade or launch a major offensive on Rafah...
- 3/10/2024
- by Peter Wade
- Rollingstone.com
Saturday Night Live hit the mark during the March 9 episode’s cold open with its humorous parody of the Republican response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address given on Thursday. In this sketch, Scarlett Johansson portrayed Alabama Senator Katie Britt, who gave the rebuttal to the president’s address. “My name is Katie Britt and I have the honor of serving the great people of Alabama,” Johansson said. “But tonight I’ll be auditioning for the part of ‘Scary Mom.’ I’ll be performing an original monologue called ‘This Country is Hell.'” She continued saying, “You see, I’m not just a senator, I’m a wife, a mother, and the craziest bitch in the Target parking lot, worried about the future of our children. And this is why I’ve invited you into this strange empty kitchen because Republicans want me to appeal to women voters,...
- 3/10/2024
- TV Insider
Saturday Night Live‘s Weekend Update took aim at Donald Trump’s verbal blunders and the GOP’s State of the Union rebuttal by Alabama Senator Katie Britt.
Reacting to how Trump had criticized President Joe Biden’s address to Congress Thursday, writing on Truth Social that “the words are not flowing smoothly out of his mouth,” co-anchor Colin Jost said in jest that “we can’t all speak with the effortless grace as Donald J. Trump.”
A clip then played of the former president having trouble getting through a...
Reacting to how Trump had criticized President Joe Biden’s address to Congress Thursday, writing on Truth Social that “the words are not flowing smoothly out of his mouth,” co-anchor Colin Jost said in jest that “we can’t all speak with the effortless grace as Donald J. Trump.”
A clip then played of the former president having trouble getting through a...
- 3/10/2024
- by William Vaillancourt
- Rollingstone.com
Colin Jost and Michael Che poked fun at politics and pop culture on Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” segment.
Jost dinged the story that a studio within 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where SNL is also housed, was infested with bed bugs. It was reported during the week that Studio 3A, where MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show is set, had to be evacuated due to an “unidentified insect.”
“For more on this story, everybody, look under your seat,” Jost joked.
Che went on to poke fun at Mike Tyson, saying that the boxer would have difficulty pronouncing Netflix, the place where his fight with Jake Paul will stream later this year.
Jost also didn’t pass on the opportunity to mock Republican Katie Britt following her strange State of the Union rebuttal.
“Those were all scenes from the one-woman show A Britt Much,” Jost joked. “It’s the play critics are calling,...
Jost dinged the story that a studio within 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where SNL is also housed, was infested with bed bugs. It was reported during the week that Studio 3A, where MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show is set, had to be evacuated due to an “unidentified insect.”
“For more on this story, everybody, look under your seat,” Jost joked.
Che went on to poke fun at Mike Tyson, saying that the boxer would have difficulty pronouncing Netflix, the place where his fight with Jake Paul will stream later this year.
Jost also didn’t pass on the opportunity to mock Republican Katie Britt following her strange State of the Union rebuttal.
“Those were all scenes from the one-woman show A Britt Much,” Jost joked. “It’s the play critics are calling,...
- 3/10/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
“Saturday Night Live” kicked off the March 9 episode mocking President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address — but more so, the Republican response. After Mikey Day’s Biden spoke to Congress and mocked House Speaker Mike Johnson shaking his head — “every time I say predecessor, Mike Johnson shakes his head like he just accidentally caught 30 seconds of the show ‘Euphoria'” — he threw it to Katie Britt, the Alabama senator.
With that, Scarlett Johansson appeared as Britt, stating, “Tonight I’ll be auditioning for the part of ‘Scary Mom.’ I’ll be performing an original monologue called ‘This Country is Hell.’”
Continuing to mock Britt’s speech, which was intensely criticized online, she went on to explain how she’s “not just a senator.”
“I’m a wife, a mother and the craziest bitch in the Target parking lot,” said Johansson. “I’m worried about the future of our...
With that, Scarlett Johansson appeared as Britt, stating, “Tonight I’ll be auditioning for the part of ‘Scary Mom.’ I’ll be performing an original monologue called ‘This Country is Hell.’”
Continuing to mock Britt’s speech, which was intensely criticized online, she went on to explain how she’s “not just a senator.”
“I’m a wife, a mother and the craziest bitch in the Target parking lot,” said Johansson. “I’m worried about the future of our...
- 3/10/2024
- by Emily Longeretta
- Variety Film + TV
At no surprise, Saturday Night Live kicked off its latest show mocking the Republican response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.
During the cold open, Mikey Day’s Biden initially shared some words with Congress, “Now tonight, I’m also gonna be talking about my predecessor, mainly because every time I say predecessor, Mike Johnson shakes his head like he just accidentally caught 30 seconds of the show Euphoria.”
The comment was referencing Johnson, the House Speaker, who was seen shaking his head and rolling his eyes behind Biden throughout his speech on Thursday.
Day’s Biden later tossed to the Republican rebuttal, which came from Alabama Sen. Katie Britt this year. “Anyway, you know, I’d stay here and talk to you all more, but I saw a glimpse of the Republican senator’s response to my speech and I think she’s gonna help me...
During the cold open, Mikey Day’s Biden initially shared some words with Congress, “Now tonight, I’m also gonna be talking about my predecessor, mainly because every time I say predecessor, Mike Johnson shakes his head like he just accidentally caught 30 seconds of the show Euphoria.”
The comment was referencing Johnson, the House Speaker, who was seen shaking his head and rolling his eyes behind Biden throughout his speech on Thursday.
Day’s Biden later tossed to the Republican rebuttal, which came from Alabama Sen. Katie Britt this year. “Anyway, you know, I’d stay here and talk to you all more, but I saw a glimpse of the Republican senator’s response to my speech and I think she’s gonna help me...
- 3/10/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Saturday Night Live‘s cold open was indeed what many had asked for: a biting parody of Alabama Sen. Katie Britt’s cringey rebuttal to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address Thursday.
SNL‘s Britt, played by Scarlett Johansson, told viewers from the start that for the next few minutes, she would be “auditioning for the part of scary mom” and “performing an original monologue called ‘This Country Is Hell.'”
“My husband, Wesley, and I just watched President Biden’s speech, and what I saw was...
SNL‘s Britt, played by Scarlett Johansson, told viewers from the start that for the next few minutes, she would be “auditioning for the part of scary mom” and “performing an original monologue called ‘This Country Is Hell.'”
“My husband, Wesley, and I just watched President Biden’s speech, and what I saw was...
- 3/10/2024
- by William Vaillancourt
- Rollingstone.com
Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, riding high on his Super Tuesday blowout with his only contender Nikki Haley dropping out of the race, took to a podium in Rome, Georgia on Saturday for a “Get out the Vote Rally” as his Democratic opponent, President Joe Biden, also appeared in the battleground state in dueling campaign visits following Biden’s rousing State of the Union address.
Self-awareness does not appear to be one of Trump’s finer suits, and this speech was no exception as he opened by mocking Biden’s stutter,...
Self-awareness does not appear to be one of Trump’s finer suits, and this speech was no exception as he opened by mocking Biden’s stutter,...
- 3/10/2024
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
In a State of the Union address that left no doubt about his target, President Joe Biden launched a scathing critique of his predecessor, Donald Trump. Without using his name, Biden labeled Trump an adversary of democracy and the global liberal order.
The State of the Union Address is a customary speech given by the president of the United States to both houses of Congress, typically held at the start of each calendar year. Its purpose is to provide an update on the current state of the nation.
Ahead of their anticipated November rematch, Biden referred to “my predecessor” on 13 occasions, challenging Trump’s anti-NATO rhetoric and his baseless claims of election fraud that incited the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the US Capitol.
Biden said, “My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth about January 6. I will not do that…This is a moment to speak...
The State of the Union Address is a customary speech given by the president of the United States to both houses of Congress, typically held at the start of each calendar year. Its purpose is to provide an update on the current state of the nation.
Ahead of their anticipated November rematch, Biden referred to “my predecessor” on 13 occasions, challenging Trump’s anti-NATO rhetoric and his baseless claims of election fraud that incited the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the US Capitol.
Biden said, “My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth about January 6. I will not do that…This is a moment to speak...
- 3/9/2024
- by Baila Eve Zisman
- Uinterview
Expelled Republican Rep. George Santos has announced his intention to challenge incumbent Rep. Nick Lalota for his seat in New York’s First Congressional District, which encompasses most of Suffolk County on eastern Long Island, New York.
During President Joe Biden‘s State of the Union address on March 7, Santos shared his thoughts on the proceedings via X while at the U.S. Capitol for the speech.
He began, “Tonight, I came to the Sotu with an open mind and heart because I believe in the great idea that is the United States of America. I just witnessed a weak, frail president deliver spin and lies to the American people from inside the chambers.”
Santos was expelled from the House on December 1 and faced indictment last year on charges of campaign finance fraud and embezzlement. The expulsion came after a House ethics report revealed concerning findings, which led to a...
During President Joe Biden‘s State of the Union address on March 7, Santos shared his thoughts on the proceedings via X while at the U.S. Capitol for the speech.
He began, “Tonight, I came to the Sotu with an open mind and heart because I believe in the great idea that is the United States of America. I just witnessed a weak, frail president deliver spin and lies to the American people from inside the chambers.”
Santos was expelled from the House on December 1 and faced indictment last year on charges of campaign finance fraud and embezzlement. The expulsion came after a House ethics report revealed concerning findings, which led to a...
- 3/9/2024
- by Baila Eve Zisman
- Uinterview
Updated, 2:29 Pm: Final Nielsen numbers show that Joe Biden’s State of the Union address drew 32.3 million viewers, an 18% increase from last year.
It was Biden’s second-largest audience in his address to a joint session of Congress. His first speech in 2021 drew 38.2 million.
This year’s figure is from viewership across 14 networks, including ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Telemundo, Univision PBS, CNN, CNNe, Fox Business, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, Newsmax and NewsNation.
Nielsen said that 74% of viewers were 55 or older, 19% were ages 35-54, and 5% were 18-34. Some 56% watched broadcast coverage and 44% watched on cable networks.
According to the updated figures, Fox News topped all networks with 5.84 million, followed by MSNBC with 4.43 million and CNN at 2.63 million. Fox Business averaged 244,000.
ABC News topped broadcast networks with 5.24 million, followed by NBC News with 4.47 million and CBS News at 4.09 million. Fox Broadcasting drew 1.78 million.
In the 25-54 demo, NBC News was on top with 1.18 million.
It was Biden’s second-largest audience in his address to a joint session of Congress. His first speech in 2021 drew 38.2 million.
This year’s figure is from viewership across 14 networks, including ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Telemundo, Univision PBS, CNN, CNNe, Fox Business, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, Newsmax and NewsNation.
Nielsen said that 74% of viewers were 55 or older, 19% were ages 35-54, and 5% were 18-34. Some 56% watched broadcast coverage and 44% watched on cable networks.
According to the updated figures, Fox News topped all networks with 5.84 million, followed by MSNBC with 4.43 million and CNN at 2.63 million. Fox Business averaged 244,000.
ABC News topped broadcast networks with 5.24 million, followed by NBC News with 4.47 million and CBS News at 4.09 million. Fox Broadcasting drew 1.78 million.
In the 25-54 demo, NBC News was on top with 1.18 million.
- 3/8/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
About a half hour after Joe Biden finished up a give-em-hell type of State of the Union speech, he was still in the House chamber, shaking hands, taking selfies and chatting up other senators in candid moments that were caught on C-Span. The president lingered for so long that some photographers joked that soon the House chaplain may show up to give the next morning’s prayer.
Finally, House Speaker Mike Johnson, still on the rostrum, called an end to the proceedings, and the TV lights dimmed. Biden got the signal that it was time to go, but even then it took him a few more minutes to exit.
The speech and even Biden’s endurance in its aftermath should have provided some reassurance to Democrats fretting about Biden’s age and agility in recent months — as one prominent Hollywood backer put it to me the other day, the term is “freaking out.
Finally, House Speaker Mike Johnson, still on the rostrum, called an end to the proceedings, and the TV lights dimmed. Biden got the signal that it was time to go, but even then it took him a few more minutes to exit.
The speech and even Biden’s endurance in its aftermath should have provided some reassurance to Democrats fretting about Biden’s age and agility in recent months — as one prominent Hollywood backer put it to me the other day, the term is “freaking out.
- 3/8/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Sacha Baron Cohen and Chris Rock had the good sense to arrive early at the Jean-Michel Basquiat Made on Market Street exhibition at the Larry Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills.
They surveyed the 30 or so Basquiat art works in relative peace ,before the throng arrived.
Cohen tells me he came straight from writing something “for TV” that might shoot in Los Angeles or in London, he wasn’t sure. Interesting.
There may also be a film. But before anything else he’ll be seen along with Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville and Louis Partridge in Disclaimer, the TV drama thriller Alfonso Cuarón has written and directed for Apple TV+.
Jeffrey Wright at the Basquiat exhibition. Photo Bamigboye/Deadline.
Rock and Cohen had skedaddled with pal Guy Oseary to see Madonna by the time Oscar nominee Jeffrey Wright presented himself at the gallery. It was wholly appropriate that the American Fiction star be there.
They surveyed the 30 or so Basquiat art works in relative peace ,before the throng arrived.
Cohen tells me he came straight from writing something “for TV” that might shoot in Los Angeles or in London, he wasn’t sure. Interesting.
There may also be a film. But before anything else he’ll be seen along with Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville and Louis Partridge in Disclaimer, the TV drama thriller Alfonso Cuarón has written and directed for Apple TV+.
Jeffrey Wright at the Basquiat exhibition. Photo Bamigboye/Deadline.
Rock and Cohen had skedaddled with pal Guy Oseary to see Madonna by the time Oscar nominee Jeffrey Wright presented himself at the gallery. It was wholly appropriate that the American Fiction star be there.
- 3/8/2024
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Updated: During his State of the Union speech Thursday, Joe Biden exchanged words with Republican hecklers, skewered Donald Trump without naming him, and framed the November election as one of decency and democracy versus retribution and resentment.
Stretching over an hour, Biden appeared feisty and energetic, occasionally stumbling over his lines. More often than not, his speech was a campaign restart sprinkled with Sotu standards, the laundry list of accomplishments and references to the everyday figures in the gallery. Biden, aided by chants of “four more years,” seemed determined to show some verve and allay some of the fears of fretful Democrats.
One of the most contentious parts of the speech came when Biden slammed Republicans for rejecting a bipartisan border compromise, eliciting boos and some heckling from GOP members. At one moment, after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga) shouted at him to “remember Laken Riley,” a 22-year-old student...
Stretching over an hour, Biden appeared feisty and energetic, occasionally stumbling over his lines. More often than not, his speech was a campaign restart sprinkled with Sotu standards, the laundry list of accomplishments and references to the everyday figures in the gallery. Biden, aided by chants of “four more years,” seemed determined to show some verve and allay some of the fears of fretful Democrats.
One of the most contentious parts of the speech came when Biden slammed Republicans for rejecting a bipartisan border compromise, eliciting boos and some heckling from GOP members. At one moment, after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga) shouted at him to “remember Laken Riley,” a 22-year-old student...
- 3/8/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
As President Joe Biden prepared for his pivotal 2024 State of the Union on Thursday, protestors demanding a ceasefire in Gaza blockaded outside the White House and near the Capitol.
The protesters, wearing shirts with the slogan “Biden Legacy = Genocide,” unfurled a large Palestinian flag across Pennsylvania Avenue, and formed a human barricade by sitting in the road to block traffic. The demonstrations were large enough to force Biden’s motorcade to take an alternate route from the White House to the Capitol, CNN reported. The pool traveling with the...
The protesters, wearing shirts with the slogan “Biden Legacy = Genocide,” unfurled a large Palestinian flag across Pennsylvania Avenue, and formed a human barricade by sitting in the road to block traffic. The demonstrations were large enough to force Biden’s motorcade to take an alternate route from the White House to the Capitol, CNN reported. The pool traveling with the...
- 3/8/2024
- by Nikki McCann Ramirez and Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Michael Douglas, Geena Davis, Bill Pullman, Morgan Freeman and Tony Goldwyn appear in a new White House video in which the real president, Joe Biden, gets State of the Union advice from the fictional ones.
The video is a preview and promotion for Biden’s State of the Union speech this evening. It was produced by the White House Office of Digital Strategy, and was shot last weekend at Camp David.
“You may’ve heard I’ve got a big speech coming up. So, I thought I would hear from some folks who have done the job before – sort of,” Biden said on X/Twitter.
He says in the video, “I’ve never spoken to so many presidents all at one time.”
Related: Maria Shriver, Bettie Mae Fikes And Shawn Fain Among First Lady Jill Biden’s Guests At President’s State Of The Union Address
Freeman, who played the...
The video is a preview and promotion for Biden’s State of the Union speech this evening. It was produced by the White House Office of Digital Strategy, and was shot last weekend at Camp David.
“You may’ve heard I’ve got a big speech coming up. So, I thought I would hear from some folks who have done the job before – sort of,” Biden said on X/Twitter.
He says in the video, “I’ve never spoken to so many presidents all at one time.”
Related: Maria Shriver, Bettie Mae Fikes And Shawn Fain Among First Lady Jill Biden’s Guests At President’s State Of The Union Address
Freeman, who played the...
- 3/7/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
The most consequential State of the Union address of the Biden presidency is scheduled for this week! The 2024 State of the Union address airs at 9 p.m. Et on Thursday, March 7, and the speech will be carried by each of the major cable news channels: CNN, Fox News and MSNBC, all of which are available on Sling TV’s Blue plan. The least expensive way to watch this year’s State of the Union without cable is a Subscription to Sling TV.
How to Watch 2024 State of the Union Address When: Thursday, March 7 at 9 p.m. Et TV: CNN, Fox News, MSNBC Stream: Watch with a Subscription to Sling TV Get 50% Off $40+ / month sling.com About 2024 State of the Union Address
The State of the Union is the President’s chance to update the American people on what’s going on with their government, both at home and abroad. Issues...
How to Watch 2024 State of the Union Address When: Thursday, March 7 at 9 p.m. Et TV: CNN, Fox News, MSNBC Stream: Watch with a Subscription to Sling TV Get 50% Off $40+ / month sling.com About 2024 State of the Union Address
The State of the Union is the President’s chance to update the American people on what’s going on with their government, both at home and abroad. Issues...
- 3/7/2024
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
As always, the 2024 Sundance Film Festival gave us several likely Oscar nominees. Keiran Culkin for “A Real Pain,” documentaries “Union” or “Daughters“,” and, potentially, Sebastian Stan for “A Different Man.” But there was no Best Picture player in the vein of “Past Lives” or “Coda” in Park City last month, at least, there didn’t seem to be.
Continue reading Yes, ‘Dune: Part Two’ Is The First Major Best Picture Player Of 2025 at The Playlist.
Continue reading Yes, ‘Dune: Part Two’ Is The First Major Best Picture Player Of 2025 at The Playlist.
- 2/21/2024
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
Cph:dox, the prestigious documentary film festival in Copenhagen, has announced a competition program across six categories that features 47 world premieres.
The event, which has emerged as a rival to the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) as the biggest and most important all-documentary festival in the world, will unfold from March 13-24 in the Danish capital. The Dox:award lineup – all world premieres – features films from the U.S., Canada, the Nordic countries and many other parts of Europe, including France, Ireland, and the U.K. Scroll for the lineups in all six competition strands.
“We’re thrilled to present this year’s competition films, which span from global geopolitics to intimate, existential queries,” noted Niklas Engstrøm, Cph:dox artistic director. “What unites these films is their ambition to engage with the world in a meaningful way. This year’s competition sharpens its focus on the most urgent issues of our time, from...
The event, which has emerged as a rival to the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) as the biggest and most important all-documentary festival in the world, will unfold from March 13-24 in the Danish capital. The Dox:award lineup – all world premieres – features films from the U.S., Canada, the Nordic countries and many other parts of Europe, including France, Ireland, and the U.K. Scroll for the lineups in all six competition strands.
“We’re thrilled to present this year’s competition films, which span from global geopolitics to intimate, existential queries,” noted Niklas Engstrøm, Cph:dox artistic director. “What unites these films is their ambition to engage with the world in a meaningful way. This year’s competition sharpens its focus on the most urgent issues of our time, from...
- 2/16/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
A Congressional hearing featuring five notable tech CEOs proved to be as combative as advertised. Meta‘s Mark Zuckerberg, TikTok‘s Shou Zi Chew, X‘s Linda Yaccarino, Snapchat‘s Evan Spiegel, and Discord‘s Jason Citron defended their companies’ safeguards for underage users during a four-hour Capitol Hill gathering on January 31.
The Senate Judiciary Committee summoned the five CEOs to speak about child safety on social media. That subject is one of the pillars of the Biden Administration’s tech policy platform; the U.S. President stressed the need to protect minors online during his first State of the Union address.
When the latest Big Tech hearing was first announced, Judiciary Committee leaders Dick Durbin (D-il) and Lindsay Graham (R-sc) cited security and safety lapses that have affected minors online. Those topics came up again at the hearing, which was attended by parents whose children have been negatively affected by social media.
The Senate Judiciary Committee summoned the five CEOs to speak about child safety on social media. That subject is one of the pillars of the Biden Administration’s tech policy platform; the U.S. President stressed the need to protect minors online during his first State of the Union address.
When the latest Big Tech hearing was first announced, Judiciary Committee leaders Dick Durbin (D-il) and Lindsay Graham (R-sc) cited security and safety lapses that have affected minors online. Those topics came up again at the hearing, which was attended by parents whose children have been negatively affected by social media.
- 1/31/2024
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Chris Smalls has all the makings of a hero. Young, charismatic and sympathetically rebellious, he quits his job at a New York Amazon warehouse over inadequate PPE provision, but doesn’t walk away: Instead, he launches an effort to establish a labor union at his former workplace, eager to improve conditions for those staying the course. It would be easy to build a halo-lit documentary portrait around this handsome, rabble-rousing father of three, but Brett Story and Stephen Maing’s excellent “Union” is something more finely shaded and community-minded than that. As a long-view anatomy of a unionization campaign, the film may be galvanized by Smalls’ presence at its center, but it’s rather less idealistic about the human politics involved in fighting corporations. Strong personalities inspire but they also divide; keeping everyone on side against a faceless foe is harder than Hollywood makes it look.
“Union” is no Hollywood film,...
“Union” is no Hollywood film,...
- 1/29/2024
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
Updated throughout with new buys. Despite some initial trepidation, big sales were not in short supply at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, with Netflix spending big on everything from “It’s What’s Inside” to “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” Searchlight Pictures going for “A Real Pain,” Amazon MGM getting in on the “My Old Ass” action, Neon wisely snapping up “Presence,” and Sony Pictures Classics getting down with “Kneecap”, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of superior films still looking for homes.
Of the still-for-sale titles that premiered at this year’s festival, there’s plenty to intrigue all sorts of buyers, from those looking for films with excellent performances that could inspire major awards pushes (like Saoirse Ronan in “The Outrun”), those in search of the next big director, or documentary lovers looking for films with incredible real world impact and fascinating true stories.
And while it’s still early days,...
Of the still-for-sale titles that premiered at this year’s festival, there’s plenty to intrigue all sorts of buyers, from those looking for films with excellent performances that could inspire major awards pushes (like Saoirse Ronan in “The Outrun”), those in search of the next big director, or documentary lovers looking for films with incredible real world impact and fascinating true stories.
And while it’s still early days,...
- 1/29/2024
- by Kate Erbland, David Ehrlich and Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
The 40th edition of Sundance proved that despite corporate consolidation, there is still a market for independently made documentaries. While there haven’t been many sales so far, there has been strong buyer interest in two celeb-focused docs — “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” and “Will & Harper,” featuring Will Ferrell — and healthy interest in others.
“The market didn’t have a pulse six months ago,” says Submarine Entertainment sales agent Josh Braun, who came to the festival with nine documentaries seeking distribution, including “Daughters,” “Gaucho Gaucho” and “Union.” “So there was a reason to be a little bit fearful coming into Sundance. But now we are feeling a pulse. We are heading in a good direction. The patient still needs some treatment, but we are no longer in a Doa situation.”
While Submarine has not yet closed deals for any of the titles, Braun is optimistic, given the fact a...
“The market didn’t have a pulse six months ago,” says Submarine Entertainment sales agent Josh Braun, who came to the festival with nine documentaries seeking distribution, including “Daughters,” “Gaucho Gaucho” and “Union.” “So there was a reason to be a little bit fearful coming into Sundance. But now we are feeling a pulse. We are heading in a good direction. The patient still needs some treatment, but we are no longer in a Doa situation.”
While Submarine has not yet closed deals for any of the titles, Braun is optimistic, given the fact a...
- 1/27/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
The new Sundance documentary “Union” puts a spotlight on the extreme anti-union tactics employed by Amazon as it tries to quash a historic labor organizing effort at its Staten Island warehouse.
Directed by Brett Story and Stephen Maing, the film chronicles the struggle of the grassroots Amazon Labor Union (Alu) as it attempts to unionize the JFK8 Amazon facility. Alu president Chris Smalls joined the directors to talk to TheWrap executive editor Adam Chitwood, where they discussed Amazon’s aggressive efforts to undermine the union drive.
“It shows how Amazon and the NYPD work together,” Smalls said at TheWrap’s Sundance Portrait and Interview Studio presented by Nfp, referring to his on-camera arrest captured in the film. “It shows how policing is used to create fear and doubt, and not just to unionize. When you’re going up against corporations, someone being arrested that’s leading a movement will create...
Directed by Brett Story and Stephen Maing, the film chronicles the struggle of the grassroots Amazon Labor Union (Alu) as it attempts to unionize the JFK8 Amazon facility. Alu president Chris Smalls joined the directors to talk to TheWrap executive editor Adam Chitwood, where they discussed Amazon’s aggressive efforts to undermine the union drive.
“It shows how Amazon and the NYPD work together,” Smalls said at TheWrap’s Sundance Portrait and Interview Studio presented by Nfp, referring to his on-camera arrest captured in the film. “It shows how policing is used to create fear and doubt, and not just to unionize. When you’re going up against corporations, someone being arrested that’s leading a movement will create...
- 1/26/2024
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
2024 Sundance Film Festival
Through Sunday, one can experience the 2024 Sundance Film Festival from the comfort of their own home, if it’s in the United States. Having seen over 50 titles in the lineup, in terms of films with tickets still available I can highly recommend Good One, Between the Temples, Tendaberry, Black Box Diaries, Ibelin, Kneecap, Didi, Brief History of a Family, Porcelain War, Sugarcane, Sujo, Seeking Mavis Beacon, Skywalkers: A Love Story, Union, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat, and Realm of Satan. – Jordan R.
Where to Stream: Official Site (through Sunday only)
Amanda (Carolina Cavalli)
Sofia Coppola’s eighth feature doesn’t hit theaters for another few months, but you’d be forgiven if you thought it was actually Amanda, writer-director Carolina Cavalli’s darkly humorous,...
2024 Sundance Film Festival
Through Sunday, one can experience the 2024 Sundance Film Festival from the comfort of their own home, if it’s in the United States. Having seen over 50 titles in the lineup, in terms of films with tickets still available I can highly recommend Good One, Between the Temples, Tendaberry, Black Box Diaries, Ibelin, Kneecap, Didi, Brief History of a Family, Porcelain War, Sugarcane, Sujo, Seeking Mavis Beacon, Skywalkers: A Love Story, Union, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat, and Realm of Satan. – Jordan R.
Where to Stream: Official Site (through Sunday only)
Amanda (Carolina Cavalli)
Sofia Coppola’s eighth feature doesn’t hit theaters for another few months, but you’d be forgiven if you thought it was actually Amanda, writer-director Carolina Cavalli’s darkly humorous,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: The Ford Foundation is coming through for documentary filmmakers in a big way.
Today, the nonprofit philanthropic institution announced its latest round of grants under the foundation’s JustFilms division — $4.2 million that will go to support “59 innovative film projects centered on social justice globally and in the United States.”
Among the recipients are Union, the film directed by Stephen Maing and Brett Story that just held its world premiere at Sundance, and fellow Sundance premiere The Battle for Laikipia, directed by Daphne Matziaraki and Peter Murimi. Union, about the battle to unionize an Amazon facility on Staten Island, New York, is in U.S. Documentary Competition at Sundance. The Battle for Laikipia, in World Cinema Documentary Competition at the festival, examines “a generations-old conflict between Indigenous pastoralists and white landowners in Laikipia, Kenya, a wildlife conservation haven.” Roger Ross Williams and Toni Kamau are among the producers of Laikipia.
Today, the nonprofit philanthropic institution announced its latest round of grants under the foundation’s JustFilms division — $4.2 million that will go to support “59 innovative film projects centered on social justice globally and in the United States.”
Among the recipients are Union, the film directed by Stephen Maing and Brett Story that just held its world premiere at Sundance, and fellow Sundance premiere The Battle for Laikipia, directed by Daphne Matziaraki and Peter Murimi. Union, about the battle to unionize an Amazon facility on Staten Island, New York, is in U.S. Documentary Competition at Sundance. The Battle for Laikipia, in World Cinema Documentary Competition at the festival, examines “a generations-old conflict between Indigenous pastoralists and white landowners in Laikipia, Kenya, a wildlife conservation haven.” Roger Ross Williams and Toni Kamau are among the producers of Laikipia.
- 1/25/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Union, premiering at this year’s Sundance film festival, shows the workers trying to organize for better treatment and the company’s attempts to fight them
A new documentary on the formation of the Amazon Labor Union – the first union at America’s second-largest employer and one of the most significant organized labor victories in decades – premiered on Sunday at the Sundance Film Festival, a major distribution festival at which Amazon will be bidding.
Union, directed by Brett Story and Stephen Laing, tracks the Amazon Labor Union (Alu) from its early organizing efforts at the JFK8 warehouse on New York’s Staten Island in spring 2021, through a contentious vote to establish the union in April 2022. The approval by a two-thirds majority, considered a watershed victory in the nascent new labor movement, made JFK8 the first unionized Amazon workplace. The mega-corporation, which currently employs 1.5 million people in the United States, disputed the terms of the election.
A new documentary on the formation of the Amazon Labor Union – the first union at America’s second-largest employer and one of the most significant organized labor victories in decades – premiered on Sunday at the Sundance Film Festival, a major distribution festival at which Amazon will be bidding.
Union, directed by Brett Story and Stephen Laing, tracks the Amazon Labor Union (Alu) from its early organizing efforts at the JFK8 warehouse on New York’s Staten Island in spring 2021, through a contentious vote to establish the union in April 2022. The approval by a two-thirds majority, considered a watershed victory in the nascent new labor movement, made JFK8 the first unionized Amazon workplace. The mega-corporation, which currently employs 1.5 million people in the United States, disputed the terms of the election.
- 1/22/2024
- by Adrian Horton
- The Guardian - Film News
There’s a simple David vs. Goliath story at the heart of Chris Smalls’ multi-year fight to unionize Amazon workers in Staten Island during the Covid pandemic. It’s a satisfying tale of one man taking on the wealthiest company in the world, and in broad strokes it’s an accurate story — hence the way it has generally been reported in news coverage and deep dives in places like Last Week Tonight.
I’m tremendously relieved that that’s not the version Stephen Maing and Brett Story present in their new documentary, Union.
Without devaluing the heroism of Smalls’ crusade or underselling the general inhumanity of Amazon’s treatment of its lowest-level workers, Union sets out to be something closer to a warts-and-all process documentary. Using unobtrusive direct cinema techniques, the documentary takes us inside the fledgling union, capturing the frustration and elation of trying to do the right thing in an impossible historical moment.
I’m tremendously relieved that that’s not the version Stephen Maing and Brett Story present in their new documentary, Union.
Without devaluing the heroism of Smalls’ crusade or underselling the general inhumanity of Amazon’s treatment of its lowest-level workers, Union sets out to be something closer to a warts-and-all process documentary. Using unobtrusive direct cinema techniques, the documentary takes us inside the fledgling union, capturing the frustration and elation of trying to do the right thing in an impossible historical moment.
- 1/22/2024
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Stephen Maing and Brett Story’s unsurprisingly riveting Union is the one Sundance selection most assuredly not coming to Prime Video anytime soon — or ever. As its title succinctly implies, the film follows a group of very brave, and admirably unrelenting, activist-workers in their fight to unionize a Staten Island warehouse known as JFK8 back in 2021. […]
The post “The Good, Bad and Ugly of Organizing Against Amazon’”: Stephen Maing and Brett Story on their Sundance-debuting Union first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “The Good, Bad and Ugly of Organizing Against Amazon’”: Stephen Maing and Brett Story on their Sundance-debuting Union first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 1/22/2024
- by Lauren Wissot
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Stephen Maing and Brett Story’s unsurprisingly riveting Union is the one Sundance selection most assuredly not coming to Prime Video anytime soon — or ever. As its title succinctly implies, the film follows a group of very brave, and admirably unrelenting, activist-workers in their fight to unionize a Staten Island warehouse known as JFK8 back in 2021. […]
The post “The Good, Bad and Ugly of Organizing Against Amazon’”: Stephen Maing and Brett Story on their Sundance-debuting Union first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “The Good, Bad and Ugly of Organizing Against Amazon’”: Stephen Maing and Brett Story on their Sundance-debuting Union first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 1/22/2024
- by Lauren Wissot
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
A raw examination of labor organization at its most powerful, pure, and fragile, “Union” is a look at union drama uncut and without any guardrails. Verité to a fault, directors Stephen Maing and Brett Story present the documentary with a detached remove that isn’t matched by the framing of the central conflict, and yet morsels of true inspiration still manage to tumble forth. Inspiring on purpose and insightful in spite of itself, “Union” sort of backs its way into a compelling story.
Continue reading ‘Union’ Review: Ultra Verité Labor Doc Swerves Away From Greatness, Settles Instead for Good [Sundance] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Union’ Review: Ultra Verité Labor Doc Swerves Away From Greatness, Settles Instead for Good [Sundance] at The Playlist.
- 1/21/2024
- by Warren Cantrell
- The Playlist
Amazon Labor Union (Alu) president Chris Smalls is not the star of the documentary Union. He is just one part of the congregation in Brett Story and Stephen Maing’s co-directed film. An early glimpse of Smalls finds him discreetly flipping burgers and hot dogs at a grill. It took an employee to ask Smalls if he’s the “low-key famous” Smalls for the leader to list his media recognitions. He doesn’t want clout for his union organizing, but rather to be known for making laborers heard, enabling a better society for his children and comrades, and proving to white executives that he can manage a flock in his distinguished streetwear outfits.
The examination of the Alu at Amazon’s Staten Island headquarters, JFK8, is a dream subject of interest for Story and Maing, whose past work has concerned reform. Union traces the intimate, intense vérité approach of being...
The examination of the Alu at Amazon’s Staten Island headquarters, JFK8, is a dream subject of interest for Story and Maing, whose past work has concerned reform. Union traces the intimate, intense vérité approach of being...
- 1/21/2024
- by Edward Frumkin
- The Film Stage
In “Union,” documentary filmmakers Brett Story and Stephen Maing follow the Amazon Labor Union (Alu), a group of current and former Amazon workers as they attempt to unionize Amazon employees working at a facility in Staten Island, N.Y. The directing duo chronicles just how excruciatingly hard it is to form a workers’ union in America — especially at Amazon. The 102-minute doc captures Alu members, who feel disenfranchised and powerless, as they try to build support for their movement while facing the unlimited resources and influence of a corporate giant. From offering free pizza and cannabis to making calls to all 8,000 Amazon employees working at the Staten Island facility, the film intimately documents Alu’s fierce dedication to making a change.
Variety spoke to Story and Maing ahead of the premiere of “Union” on Sunday.
In the film an Alu member records a meeting that takes place within the Staten Island facility.
Variety spoke to Story and Maing ahead of the premiere of “Union” on Sunday.
In the film an Alu member records a meeting that takes place within the Staten Island facility.
- 1/21/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
In March of 2020, Amazon fired Chris Smalls, an employee who led a walkout at its Staten Island, New York, warehouse known as JFK8 over pandemic working conditions. A memo that later was leaked to Vice News revealed that an Amazon executive dismissed Smalls as “not smart or articulate” in a strategy meeting with Jeff Bezos. But just as the tech giant was writing Smalls off, some documentary filmmakers saw in the labor organizer a compelling character at the center of a timely story about the modern workforce.
Nearly four years later, their movie, Union, which will premiere Jan. 21 at Sundance as an acquisitions title, depicts the formation of the Smalls-led Amazon Labor Union (Alu). “I thought, well, here’s an opportunity to film something from the ground up,” says Brett Story, who directs Union together with Stephen Maing. “From the very beginning, we said to this group of people, ‘We...
Nearly four years later, their movie, Union, which will premiere Jan. 21 at Sundance as an acquisitions title, depicts the formation of the Smalls-led Amazon Labor Union (Alu). “I thought, well, here’s an opportunity to film something from the ground up,” says Brett Story, who directs Union together with Stephen Maing. “From the very beginning, we said to this group of people, ‘We...
- 1/20/2024
- by Rebecca Keegan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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