Per HBO Max’s synopsis, the series centers on two androids tasked with raising human children on a mysterious virgin planet. As the burgeoning colony of humans threatens to be torn apart by religious differences, the androids learn that controlling the beliefs of humans is a treacherous and difficult task. While the trailer offers nary a hint of religion, it more than makes up for it with its forbidding retelling of “The Three Little Pigs” fable — it’s more intense than that statement suggests — and brief shots of terrifying violence and visceral action....

For the last five years, the Danish company has been working on Violette, a simulated firearm that doesn’t use bullets, blanks, or dummy rounds. Instead, it uses a mix of propane and oxygen to create a small explosion that simulates the muzzle flash and bang of a gun. Its founders are Søren Haraldsted, an armorer and special effects consultant whose credits include “Melancholia” and “Babylon A.D.,” and Daniel Karpantschof, an entrepreneur who served on President Obama’s Council of Experts for Entrepreneurship and as a Danish UNESCO representative....

For Haythe, that reinvention came from opening up the world of French leader Catherine de Medici (Samantha Morton) to characters that have been commonly written out of history. “Anything is fair game if the character is right. All those people exist in history, the kings and the queens. The people who serve them, the people who brought them their horses, or share their lives most intimately, are nonexistent in history, so you can invent those people,” Haythe said....

Chapek hinted that releasing “Shang-Chi” only in theaters is not a move the studio would make now, citing the “unfortunate” COVID resurgence that the studio didn’t see coming. He said later that “‘Shang-Chi’ we actually think it will be an interesting experiment for us” considering the movie is only going to be utilizing a 45-day theatrical exhibition before going to streaming. Liu, though, wasn’t too pleased to hear that and took to social media saying, “We are not an experiment....

The opening scene of “Slow Horses” is something of a magic trick. The new Apple TV+ series starts with eight minutes of well-constructed, spy-story flourish, the equivalent of a stage performer dazzling you with one hand while secretly picking a lock behind their back with the other. On the page, the adaptation of Mick Herron’s novel commences with a 15-page prologue of junior MI-5 agent River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) tracking down a possible target at a crowded transport center....

Host: Billie Eilish In a season filled with newcomer “SNL” hosts, the opening monologue has been the quickest indicator of what to expect out of a first-timer. Whether it’s surprising ease or obvious nerves, while the actual act of doing sketch comedy is a different beast once the show gets going, the monologue sets the tone. While Eilish spoke about being from a family of actors — and her acting chops did ultimately shine through in this episode — that familiarity with the medium didn’t quite translate to the greatest monologue....

“Girls Trip” director Malcolm D. Lee is helming the production after taking over from “Random Acts of Flyness” creator Terence Nance. The departure was said to be “amicable,” with both parties citing creative differences. While Lee is perhaps the more obvious choice, having proven himself a shrewd helmer of blockbuster comedies, Nance’s surrealist, stream-of-consciousness style could have added a fresh creative energy to the rebooted franchise. The original “Space Jam” featured star turns from Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Shawn Bradley, Larry Johnson, and an especially scene-stealing Muggsy Bogues....

When director Don Hall (the Oscar-winning “Big Hero 6”) introduced a 30-minute sneak peek last week at Disney, he mentioned that “Strange World” was influenced by pulp magazines of the ’30s, authors Jules Verne and Edgar Rice Burroughs, and some of his favorite action-adventure movies. He even likened it to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” — but with a wacky family right out of “National Lampoon’s Vacation.” He acknowledged that “Strange World” looks forward as well as back with its core idea of saving the environment....

The show’s social media accounts revealed that Englund is among the newcomers who will appear in the series’ fourth season. Englund will portray Victor Creel, a disturbed and intimidating man who is imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital for a gruesome murder in the 1950s. There’s no telling how the character will fit into the show’s supernatural universe, but Englund’s pedigree suggests that the answer will be all sorts of sinister; Englund rose to fame for his work in the “Nightmare on Elm Street” film franchise and has appeared in a variety of other horror films....

In a new interview with Variety, Noah Schnapp revealed that one of the most popular “Stranger Things” fan theories circulating the Internet is true. His character does, in fact, have romantic feelings for Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard). “I mean, it’s pretty clear this season that Will has feelings for Mike,” Schnapp said. “They’ve been intentionally pulling that out over the past few seasons. Even in Season 1, they hinted at that and slowly, slowly grew that storyline....

From a searing indictment of gentrification featuring a murderous realtor (London Brown) to a right-wing nutjob (Cooper Huckabee) who attempts to protect his property from a diverse America, the movie hits a lot of nerves at once. Once again, Spike Lee serves as executive producer, while Darin Scott co-directed and wrote the last two entries with Cundieff. “Tales from the Hood” has lost none of its relevance today. While the franchise has found an audience on VOD, it wasn’t so easy to make a provocative horror movie about Black life in America 25 years ago....

Cinematographer Carl Herse spoke with IndieWire about creating a progression for the seven looks of the show with series creator/director Chris Miller, before uniting them in Episode 8. “We want it to all feel different, but you also want to feel like a progression,” Herse said. “We go from wider aspect ratios at the beginning of the season to taller aspect ratios by the end. But then when we got to Episode 8, Chris and I started scratching our heads....

HBO horror-comedy “The Baby” keeps it simple: Motherhood is a mess, especially if you add in murder. The HBO Original eight-episode limited series premieres Sunday, April 24, with episodes being available to stream on HBO Max. “The Baby” is created by Siân Robins-Grace and Lucy Gaymer and produced by SISTER and Proverbial Pictures. Check out the trailer below. Per an official synopsis, Natasha (De Swarte) grapples with her newfound, and wholly unexpected, parenthood, as the baby manipulates, controls, and yes, even kills those around her....

Based on the novel by Chris Bohjalian, “The Flight Attendant” wasn’t just a story about Cassie’s attempt to clear her name; she is the last person to have spent time with murder victim, Alex Sokolva (Michiel Huisman). It’s also a stark examination of addiction, as part of the reason Cassie is implicated in Alex’s murder has to do with her inability to remember anything that happened. “The Flight Attendant” was one of the first original series created for HBO Max and its success translated into nine Primetime Emmy Awards, including nominations in Best Lead and Supporting Actress for Kaley Cuoco and Rosie Perez, respectively....

Here’s the official synopsis: “Steeped in ancient Jewish lore and demonology, ‘The Vigil’ is supernatural horror film set over the course of a single evening in Brooklyn’s Hasidic Borough Park neighborhood. Low on funds and having recently left his insular religious community, Yakov (Dave Davis) reluctantly accepts an offer from his former rabbi and confidante (Menashe Lustig) to take on the responsibility of an overnight ‘shomer,’ fulfilling the Jewish practice of watching over the body of a deceased community member....

Garnering four nominations: Alexander Nanau’s Romanian health system exposé “Collective” (Magnolia), Victor Kossakovsky’s story of a mother pig, “Gunda” (Neon), and David France’s “Welcome to Chechnya” (HBO) with four. With three nominations each: Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss’ “Boys State” (Apple), Kirsten Johnson’s “Dick Johnson is Dead” (Netflix), Liz Garbus’ series “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” (HBO), Gianfranco Rosi’s Italian Oscar submission “Notturno” (Super Ltd), and Michael Dweck & Gregory Kershaw’s “The Truffle Hunters” (Sony Pictures Classics)....

The plot synopsis per AMC: From AMC Studios and created by Steve Conrad (“Patriot,” “Perpetual Grace”) and Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (“Robot Chicken,” “Crossing Swords”) “Ultra City Smiths” unfolds via the stop-motion animation of baby dolls repurposed as a grown-up cast of characters. The series hinges on an investigation into the mysterious disappearance of fictional metropolis Ultra City’s most famous magnate (Smith). Two intrepid detectives (Jimmi Simpson and Da’Vine Joy Randolph) follow the case, rallying to fight against their city’s dangerous corruption, at a high cost to themselves and their families, all in pursuit of a gentler place to call home....

“Virgin River,” a romantic drama that premiered its third season July 9, was viewed for 1,270 million minutes from July 19 to July 25, according to Nielsen’s latest streaming ratings report. The show was the most popular title of that period by a considerable margin: Netflix’s “Never Have I Ever,” which premiered its sophomore season on July 15, came in second with with 567 million minutes viewed. Netflix’s “Atypical,” which premiered its fourth season on July 9, came in third with 422 million minutes viewed....

We still have some time before the Memorial Day sales roll in, but you can find great deals on must-have electronics even now, ahead of the holiday. With the weather getting better and with many pandemic restrictions beginning to ease up, chances are that the summer will be all about outdoor activities: pool parties, birthday celebrations, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, camping and barbecues, picnics, beach days, you name it. No matter what you plan on doing this summer, Bluetooth speakers are a great sound accessory — whether you’re on the go, or hanging out at home....

“Minari” also preformed strong at the Indie Spirits, earning six nominations to match its six Oscar nominations. Fellow Oscar nominees “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Nomadland” each picked up five Spirit Award nominations. Netflix was the most nominated studio with 16 nominations, followed by Focus Features with 10 and A24 with 9. “Nomadland” was the big winner, taking home the prizes for Best Feature and Best Director, plus Best Editing....