A regional cinema chain in the Gulf told THR that “Eternals” was “banned” from being released, but the reason why had not yet been disclosed. Sources said the film’s inclusion of an openly gay superhero is the reason for the apparent ban. Brian Tyree Henry’s character, Phastos, shares a kiss with his husband, Ben (Haaz Sleiman). Homosexuality is still illegal across the Gulf. As THR notes: “Last year, the Pixar title ‘Onward’ was banned across Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia over a single line referencing a lesbian relationship....

Where to Watch ‘Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock’: Apple TV+ More shows should end their pilot with a song that also turns out to be the show’s theme song going forward. Bringing back a retooled version of the original intro isn’t the only reason that “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock” is a lively update of a beloved kids’ classic, but it’s one of the best examples that this is a show bursting with life, always on the verge of a celebration....

Sundance documentary “Free Chol Soo Lee” centers on the racial profiling and subsequent arrest of then 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee who was accused of a gang-related murder in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1973. The documentary premieres August 12 at the IFC Center in New York City, followed by a special one-night-only simulcast screening event hosted by MUBI in over 180 theaters nationwide August 17 for the week that would’ve been Lee’s 70th birthday....

The remainder of the WGA’s top 10 consists of Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight,” Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood,” Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds,” Cameron Crowe’s “Almost Famous,” and Christopher Nolan’s “Memento.” Anderson has three scripts in the top 101 (“There Will Be Blood” at #7, “The Master” at #84, and “Phantom Thread” at #87), as does Tarantino (“Inglorious Basterds” at #8, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” at #22, and “Django Unchained” at #74)....

Showrunner Ryan Condal has dismissed such criticisms, explaining that he is more than confident in his ability to make the right decisions for the franchise. “I am still going to make choices that not all of you are going to like,” Condal recently said. “But, on the whole, I am really looking after the sanctity and wellbeing of George’s work.” George R.R. Martin agrees with Condal, and the “Fire and Blood” author is even willing to take things a step further....

Halfway through the episode, Queen Aemma (Sian Brooke) goes into labor, a cautiously optimistic moment for the kingdom as husband King Viserys (Paddy Considine) prays for a long-awaited son. When the baby breaches, a maester tells Viserys that they can save either mother or child, the latter by cutting into Aemma’s belly. He hedges his bets on that coveted baby boy, leading to a harrowing scene of Aemma shrieking while multiple nurses hold her down and the maester cuts her open....

The upcoming spinoff prequel series has a more racially diverse cast, including an elite Black family comprising the House of Velaryon, a central ruling family with deep political ties in Westeros. Co-showrunners Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik set out for a “reimagining” of George R.R. Martin’s original books when bringing them to the screen. The spinoff premieres August 21. “It was very important for Miguel and I to create a show that was not another bunch of white people on the screen,” Condal told Entertainment Weekly....

From 2010’s “Rubber,” which followed a killer tire, to 2019’s “Deerskin,” which followed a killer jacket, to 2020’s “Mandibles,” which followed a more-benevolent-but-unsettlingly-giant fly, Dupieux’s modus operandi has never really changed, with each new film enacting the same experiment to see just how far a single absurdist premise can travel (counted for time, usually about 75 minutes). And if “Incredible but True” (running time: 74 minutes) fits neatly within that overall filmography, it also builds on the uncommon tenderness that made “Mandibles” stand out to rather delightful effect....

February’s domestic box office take can’t be much worse than January’s: The $390 million total is just 44 percent of the same month two years ago, shortly before the pandemic began to spread around the world, shutting down many theaters in its wake. Normally, February grosses about 75-80 percent of January. This year should be better. Last month had a strong start with “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which added $164 million to its box office take after opening in December....

These are all relevant facts to bring up now, because new French-language documentary “Jane by Charlotte,” a portrait of the mother by the daughter, doesn’t discuss them. Perhaps operating under the assumption that no one unfamiliar with Birkin would watch a documentary about her, Gainsbourg instead veers too far to the other extreme, offering almost no context for their unstructured conversations, reminiscences, and chats. Late in the film, Birkin speaks movingly about the days after the death of her oldest daughter Kate, when she couldn’t move beyond her own grief to the sadness of Charlotte and sister Lou....

IndieWire’s Eric Kohn summarized the film community’s grievances with the movie, writing “among the many problems with director Meg Smaker’s look at a Saudi Arabian institution designed to help former Guantanamo Bay prisoners reintegrate into society: There’s the title, which reinforces the most negative connotations of the term ‘jihad’; the positioning of the subjects as ominous Muslim stereotypes; and an ethically dubious approach to labeling men as ‘terrorists’ who haven’t been accused of actual crimes....

The latest viewership report from Nielsen stated that “Loki,” the Tom Hiddleston-led Disney+ show, was viewed for 713 million minutes from June 21 through June 27, making it the most-viewed streaming show of that week, per Nielsen. That data is only based on the first three episodes of the series, which underscores its popularity. Though the strong viewership of “Loki” is not particularly surprising — the series is part of the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe — the series has the potential to become Disney+’s biggest superhero title to date....

“He said he saw the film three times, and we realized that he saw the film for the first time like four days before, so that basically means he saw the film almost every day,” Cociña told IndieWire during a recent phone interview. “It was amazing, because I saw ‘Midsommar’ two weeks before that conversation, and I was honestly amazed by this film. He approached us, and he saw some shot from the short, and he was really enthusiastic and he jumped in....

To be sure, director Enrico Casarosa’s coming-of-age story — about two male sea monsters and their secret friendship as humans in a coastal Italian town — ushered in a more pronounced sea change at Pixar under the leadership of Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter (“Soul”). “Luca” not only offered a quirky brand of storytelling, drawn from autobiographical experience, but was the first Pixar feature to lean heavily into a hand-made, 2D aesthetic....

Morse’s son Charlie confirmed his passing to Los Angeles’ ABC affiliate via Deadline, and Morse’s death was announced on Twitter by writer/producer Larry Karaszewski, a vice president on the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “My good pal Bobby Morse has passed away at age 90,” Karaszewski tweeted. “A huge talent and a beautiful spirit. Sending love to his son Charlie & daughter Allyn....

Will “Minari” become a similar awards sensation? Here’s hoping. While the film remains undated by A24, the studio has confirmed it will open before the end of February 2021 and thus be eligible for the 2021 Oscars. The official “Minari” synopsis from A24 reads: “A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, ‘Minari’ follows a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream....

“Moonage Daydream” premiered at Cannes 2022 and will debut in theaters, exclusively in IMAX, September 16. The documentary spans Bowie’s 54-year career with never-before-seen footage of the icon and, for you audio nerds, its soundtrack is crafted in 12.0, 7.1, and 5.1 stems for an immersive sonic experience tailored to specific theaters. Morgen spent two years selecting footage from the Bowie archive in 16mm and 35mm prints, marking “Moonage” as the first film ever sanctioned by the Bowie estate with access to personal archives....

As announced on today’s Disney third quarter earnings call, the film will now head to streaming service Disney+ on September 4, but will also be available in theaters (mostly international markets, including China) that are open by that time. During the call, CEO Bob Chapek said it was important for the company to find new ways to distribute their films during the pandemic and that in “in the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, and number of countries, we will be offering on Disney+, the epic ‘Mulan’ on premium access beginning September 4, the price point being $29....

“Obi-Wan Kenobi” marks the return of Ewan McGregor as the younger Obi-Wan. Hayden Christensen also returns as Anakin Skywalker, who becomes Darth Vader. The series is reportedly set 10 years after 2005’s “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.” Per Disney’s official synopsis, the show captures the aftermath of when “Kenobi faced his greatest defeat, the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned evil Sith Lord Darth Vader,” which took place during “Sith....

Nielsen’s latest report on the most popular streaming television shows stated that “Outer Banks,” which premiered its second season on Netflix in July, was viewed for 1,423 million minutes from July 26 to August 1. The show had nearly twice the viewership of the second most-viewed show of the week in Nielsen’s report: Netflix’s “Virgin River,” which has topped Nielsen’s streaming reports for several weeks, was viewed for 782 million minutes....