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How David Attenborough’s Camera Crew Capture’s Wildlife

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David Attenborogh’s nature documentaries are some of the most creative and engaging programs that educate the masses about climate change, our natural world, and the beautiful species that occupy it. In a new documentary called West Isles, camera crew members spent three years at home filming domestic life, and now, they’ve revealed the amazing ways in which they’re able to take some of their detailed shots.

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rocks

Ann Axtell Morris, One Of The US’s First Female Archaeologists, Gets Recognition In New Tom Felton Film

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Tom Felton, known for his role as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter, produces new film ‘Canyon Del Muerto,’ telling the epic story of Ann Axtell Morris, one of the US’s first female archeologists.

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awards

France’s Cesar Film Awards Potentially Banning Anyone Being Investigated Of Sex Crimes 

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The Cesar Awards, also referred to as the French Oscars and France’s most prestigious film awards, have announced that they are barring anyone being investigated on allegations of sexual misconduct from the ceremony next month. 

One of the initial sparks to this decision was Roman Polanski’s 2020 Cesar Awards win for best director, despite being convicted of raping a child in the 1970s. This particular event led to major backlash and internal reorganization within the Cesar Academy. 

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There were also fears of protests during this year’s ceremony, on February 25th, due to rising star Sofiane Bennacer’s frontrunner status for his part in Les Amandiers (Forever Young), which is about a promiscuous group of drama students in the 1980s. 

Bennacer was being investigated by police on two allegations of rape and one of violence. When fresh allegations against Bennacer were made public in November, he was dropped from the list of potential nominees. 

In a statement made to the public, as reported by The Guardian, the Cesar Academy stated anyone facing a “potential prison sentence for violence, notably of a sexual or sexist nature,” would be excluded from the ceremony 

“It has been decided not to highlight people who may have been put in question by the judiciary for acts of violence. The step is being taken out of respect for the victims, even if they are only presumed victims.”

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Valeria Bruni-Terdeschi, the director of Les Amandiers, spoke out against the allegations and decision to remove Bennacer from the longlist of possible nominees for this year’s awards. 

She took to Instagram to call the allegations a “media lynching,” and that her and the film’s producers were aware of the allegations against him during the casting process for Les Amandiers: “but I told them these rumors would not stop me and I couldn’t envision making the film without him.”

Singer and former French first lady Carla Bruni, sister of Valeria, also spoke in defense of Bennacer, stating that the decision to remove him from the awards was “undermining the presumption of innocence, one of the foundations of our democracy. 

The Cesar Academy also stated that they are still debating whether or not to ban people with sexual misconduct allegations and convictions entirely from future nominations and awards. The Academy will be reaching a decision regarding this within the coming weeks.

awards

Will Smith Opens Up About Chris Rock Oscars Slap on The Daily Show

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Will Smith promoted his new historical drama “Emancipation” on “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” on Monday evening. During the interview, the pair discussed Will Smith’s controversial night at the Oscars, where he slapped comedian Chris Rock onstage.

At the 94th Academy Awards last March, Smith charged the stage after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and her baldness. Jada suffers from alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss. Later that night, Smith won the award for best actor for his performance in “King Richard.”

In the days that followed, Smith released a series of public apologies on social media. Smith also resigned from the Academy. He is barred from attending its ceremony for the next 10 years.

“That was a horrific night, as you can imagine. There’s many nuances and complexities to it. But at the end of the day, I just — I lost it, you know? I was going through something that night, you know? Not that that justifies my behavior at all … It was a lot of things. It was the little boy that watched his father beat up his mother, you know? All of that just bubbled up in that moment. That is not who I want to be.”

Smith said he understood “the idea where they say hurt people hurt people,” and is working on learning how to forgive himself “for being human.” Noah offered his perspective on the situation, telling Smith he is “one of those rare breeds of people who’ve spent more time in the spotlight than out of it.” 

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Noah empathized with Smith, saying that he does not believe that moment should define Smith since none “of us in life deserves to be defined by our one f**k-up.”

“I love Chris. I’m friends with him. I love you, but this is f****d up … I know that as Black people, Black people get together and go, ‘What was Will doing? What the hell happened?’ A lot of Black people were like, ‘He should go to jail.’ Like, you need to relax yourself. Some people were overreacting, which made some people underreact.”

Smith shared a story from the fallout of the Oscars evening. At that point, he was already dealing with the repercussions of his actions.

“I was gone. That was a rage that had been bottled for a really long time. My nephew is nine. He is the sweetest little boy. We came home. He had stayed up late to see his uncle Will, and we are sitting in my kitchen, and he is on my lap and he is holding the Oscar and he is just like, ‘Why did you hit that man, Uncle Will?'”

Smith also talked about his upcoming movie “Emancipation,” and what compelled him to participate in the film. The movie is based on actual events and features Smith playing a runaway slave the world knew as “Whipped Peter.” The name was given to him after photos of keloid scarring on his back were distributed worldwide in 1863, showing the true horror and brutality of slavery. The images helped fuel the abolitionist movement.

“First seeing that image was one of the things that really got me excited to explore this, because you see the image, but you don’t know who he is. You don’t know what the story is. American slavery was one of the most brutal aspects of human history … It is hard to understand the level of human cruelty. My daughter asked me, ‘Daddy, do we really need another slave movie?’ I said, ‘Baby, I promise you, I wouldn’t make a slave movie. This is a freedom movie.'”

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Director Antoine Fuqua explained to Vanity Fair why “Emancipation” will release eight months after Smith’s Oscars controversy since “the film to me is bigger than that moment.” The film release was delayed in May with concerns that Smith’s actions at the Oscars would affect its reception.

“400 years of slavery is bigger than one moment. My hope is that people will see it that way and watch the movie and be swept away with the great performance by Will and all the real hard work that the whole crew did.”

“Emancipation” will release in select theaters this Friday and premiere on Apple TV+ on Dec. 9. The film is the first major project in which Smith was involved since his notorious Oscars night.

In a television interview with Fox 5, Smith said that he understands if audiences are reluctant to watch him promote the new film but hopes that events from that ceremony will not hurt the movie. 

“I completely understand that, if someone is not ready. I would absolutely respect that and allow them their space to not be ready.”

Smith says that he believes director Fuqua showcases “the greatest work in his entire career” and that people on the film’s production team “have done some of the best work of their entire careers.” Smith hopes his actions during the ceremony “don’t penalize my team.”

“So at this point, that’s what I’m working for. That’s what I’m hoping for. I’m hoping that the material, the power of the film, the timeliness of the story — I’m hoping that the good that can be done — will open people’s hearts at a minimum to see and recognize and support the incredible artists in and around this film.”

Zoë Kravitz Discusses Losing ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Audition 

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Zoë Kravitz is receiving amazing reviews for her performance as Selina Kyle/Catwoman in Matt Reeves’ “The Batman.” However, this is not the first time Kravitz has attempted to enter the DC Caped Crusader universe. 

In a recent interview with The Observer, Kravitz revealed that she attempted to audition for a role in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises,” but was rejected after being told she was too “urban” for the part. 

Kravitz didn’t reveal whether or not she originally auditioned for the role of Catwoman for Nolan’s film, a role which was played by Anne Hathaway. 

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“I don’t know if it came directly from Chris Nolan. I think it was probably a casting director of some kind, or a casting director’s assistant,” Kravitz said.

“Being a woman of color and being an actor and being told at that time that I wasn’t able to read because of the color of my skin, and the word urban being thrown around like that, that was what was really hard about that moment.”

During another 2015 interview, Kravitz revealed she was seeking a smaller role in “The Dark Knight Rises” but she wasn’t even able to get into the room because the film wasn’t “going urban for the role.” 

“It was like, ‘What does that have to do with anything?’ I have to play the role like, ‘Yo, what’s up, Batman? What’s going on with you?” Kravitz questioned. 

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Kravitz recently clarified that she wasn’t making these comments to call out anyone, but instead give an example about “what it was like to be a woman of color in the industry at that time.”

“I did not mention this to point any fingers or make anyone seem racist, namely Chris Nolan, the film’s producers or anyone on the casting team, because I truly do not believe anyone meant any harm.”

Kravitz was officially cast as Catwoman in “The Batman” in October 2019. “It was crazy when the news was officially announced. My phone was blowing up more than any birthday I’ve ever had,” the actor stated. 

In “The Batman” Kravitz plays Selina Kyle before she’s known in Gotham as the infamous cat burglar Catwoman. Kravitz revealed she interpreted this iteration of the Selina Kyle character to be bisexual. 

During one scene Selina is seen going into her apartment looking for her friend Anika, who she refers to as her “baby.” The idea that their relationship is potentially more platonic, is left open-ended. 

Kravitz claimed that the scene was meant to spotlight Selina’s bisexuality:  “That’s definitely the way I interpreted that, that they had some kind of romantic relationship.” 

“The Batman” recently topped the box office with $128 million over its opening weekend. The film is currently playing in theaters nationwide. 

Russian Arts And Cultural Events Canceled Worldwide 

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Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted worldwide responses from the cultural, sporting, and arts fields. An increasing number of performances and cultural events put on by Russians are being canceled worldwide in response to the invasion. 

One of the biggest announcements came from the European broadcasting Union (EBU) who said that Russia would no longer be able to participate in this year’s Eurovision song contest. 

EBU, the producers of Eurovision, said the “event promoted international exchange and understanding, Russia’s inclusion could bring the annual competition into disrepute in light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine.”

Initially, state broadcasters from countries like Iceland, Finland, Norway, and the Netherlands all called for Russia to be banned from the contest, a move that was also endorsed by the UK’s culture secretary Nadine Dorries. 

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The Royal Opera House (ROH) has also canceled a planned residency by Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet, which is known as one of the oldest and most prestigious ballet companies in the world. 

The ROH released a statement regarding their cancellation: “A summer season of the Bolshoi Ballet at the Royal Opera House had been in the final stages of planning. Unfortunately, under the current circumstances, the season cannot now go ahead.” The group was initially expected to put on 21 performances from July to August. 

Performances from the Russian State Ballet of Siberia have been canceled by both the Wolverhampton Grand Theater and the Royal and Derngate in Northampton. 

In terms of concerts, the Munich Philharmonic has separated itself from its chief conductor, Valery Gergiev, due to his ties to Putin. Munich’s mayor, Dieter Reiter, gave Gergiev an ultimatum that stated if he condemned Putin’s actions he would be able to maintain his position in the Philharmonic, he refused. 

“With immediate effect, there will be no further concerts by the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra under his [Gergiev] direction,” Reiter said. Gergiev was also dropped by his management and had several upcoming concerts canceled due to his ties to Putin.

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The Russian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale will not be taking place as planned after Russian artists and curators themselves chose to pull out. Alexandra Sukhareva and Kirill Savchenkov, as well as curator Raimundas Malašauskas, released a statement in which they explained how they would no longer be participating. 

“There is no place for art when civilians are dying under the fire of missiles, when citizens of Ukraine are hiding in shelters, when Russian protesters are getting silenced,” Savchenkov and Sukhareva said in a joint statement. 

Warner Bros, Disney, and Sony have halted the release of all new films in Russian cinemas, which means major upcoming releases such as The Batman, Turning Red, and Morbius, will not be released as scheduled. 

“In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature film The Batman in Russia,” a spokesperson said.

Disney said: “Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are pausing the theatrical release of films in Russia.”

The Ukranian Film Academy has also called for an international boycott of Russian cinema, including a ban on all Russian films at international festivals:

“At a time when world powers are imposing economic and political sanctions on the Russian Federation, the country continues to be active in the cultural field”. Any action, however, has yet to be taken.

And the Oscar goes to

Academy Expecting 2021 Oscars To Have Lowest Ratings In History 

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Based on the audience figures from this year’s Golden Globes and Baftas ceremonies the Academy is gearing up to potentially present one of the least watched Oscar ceremonies in history. The Oscars are currently expected to air on April 25th.

Steven Gaydos is the executive vice president of content for Variety, a film industry magazine, who recently spoke to the press about this year’s ceremony. “Before Covid hit the audience numbers were declining rapidly, year on year, for all awards shows. The Academy is essentially funded by the TV show, and they are about to open a big expensive museum. They have taken on a half-billion-dollar enterprise at a time when their primary source of income is declining. There could be an iceberg ahead for the Academy.”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences typically receives around $75 million every year from ABC thanks to a contract that the two groups signed that will last until 2028. ABC makes a majority of their revenue from advertising, last year they brought in around $120 million, but last year’s figures were the lowest in history, which stunts how much profit is made. 

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“Further, the telecast itself has struggled to retain audience approval, with frustrations over its lengthy running time, choice of hosts (if any) and the quality of the spectacle on offer. The problems have been compounded by long-running complaints over the lack of diversity in nominees and winners, triggered in 2015 by the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag campaign,” according to film editor Andrew Pulver.

“I personally don’t think a host makes much impact. It’s more about whether the show as a whole entertains and feels fresh. The Oscars remain meaningful to the film industry, but to succeed as a mainstream TV special you’ve got to entertain,” said Jeremy Kay, Americas editor of Screen International magazine.

“The Covid delays have enabled smaller movies to go farther than they might have done had there been the usual barrage of studio heavyweights. It’s not been a banner year, but the quality across the board has been high. These movies, the film-makers behind them and the stories they tell have had more visibility than they might have expected in any other year, and we’re all the better for it,” Kay explained. 

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Gaydos, on the other hand, thinks that there’s a systemic issue between the way the Academy connects audiences with certain contemporary Hollywood films: “For some time the movies nominated for best picture represent only a tiny fraction of the tickets sold – there is chasm between the Oscars and the moviegoing public. The Marvel and DC films are hardly ever up for best picture, or Star Wars, while the Pixar movies are relegated to the animated category, so the pictures that constitute 90% of moviegoing just aren’t there.”

“At the point that the Oscars become all spinach and no dessert, they put themselves up quite a tree.”

Gaydos went on to explain how “the decline of ‘movie-star culture’ also plays a part, as most franchise films are not really star-driven. Part of the awards show fun is seeing these stars being themselves – nervous, emotional, passionate about their work – and you are effectively spending an evening with some very beautiful people at an important night in their lives. The more that is diminished the less of an event the Oscars is. If the franchise is the star, it doesn’t make you want to tune into an awards show. I love the Academy, I love movies, I love the Oscars, so this current concern gives me a lot of heartache.”

‘The Batman’ Pauses Production After Robert Pattinson Tests Positive For Covid-19

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Robert Pattinson tested positive for Covid-19 this week, forcing production of ‘The Batman’ to temporarily shut down as the cast and crew all quarantine themselves. According to insider sources, at first production on the film continued without Pattinson but then shortly after shut down for safety reasons. 

Crew members working at Warner Brothers Studios in Leavesden, UK, are continuing to work on construction for sets and props, but every individual who was working in close contact with Pattinson have since isolated themselves. Healthcare professionals are currently working on contact tracing the virus on the set to ensure that everyone who should be home, is doing so. 

Production is expected to resume after the two-week quarantine period ends and Pattinson recovers. Luckily they don’t need him for every single scene, so the focus will shift to work on shooting every other scene until he can return to set. Warner Bros. did not confirm or deny that Pattinson had tested positive, however, media speculation based on initial press releases make it seem pretty clear that it was him. It’s currently unclear how severe the virus is impacting Pattinson or if he’s been asymptomatic. 

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The UK film industry is confident in their ability to maintain proper health and safety procedures for everyone working on set. Adrian Wooton, the chief executive of the British Film Commission and Film London, recently spoke with the media about their overall protocols, and claimed that they were implementing a multitude of measures, “including stringent testing regimes, which is why any case of coronavirus can be rapidly identified and appropriate self-isolating procedures implemented.”

“We’re confident that with all measures in place, any production will resume filming as soon as it’s safe to do so. We also believe this will not impact production overall continuing in U.K., precisely because we have such robust health and safety measures operating.”

UK crew members have access to free training services that give proper advice on staying safe and following all procedures put into place on set. 20,000 individuals have already used these services and it’s greatly helped aid the prevention of Covid-19 cases spreading. The services were provided by ScreenSkills, a media company, and their CEO, Seetha Kumar, recently spoke with the British media about the success they’ve seen so far. 

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“We collaborated with industry and health and safety experts to develop free online coronavirus basic awareness on production training to support the available guidance.”

Even more procedures are going to be implemented in the coming weeks as more members return to work after self-quarantining. ScreenSkills is running “safe return to set seminars” that will call upon individuals who have already had to quarantine and return to work to give advice on the best ways to protect yourself and others around you from potential infection. 

The UK government also set up a $647 million film and TV insurance fund for all productions where at least 50% of the budget is spent in the UK. However, ‘The Batman’ does not fall into that category. Eligible productions are granted compensation for costs brought on due to coronavirus delays.

Golden Globe

Celebrities Comment on Culture at 2020 Golden Globes

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Last night’s Golden Globes ceremony offered a number of insights into the world of American culture as the event reflected the complex dynamic between technology, entertainment, and politics. 

As a likely consequence of fears about the impact of streaming services on the movie-going audience, Netflix won just two prizes despite holding 34 nominations, and director Sam Mendes, who won the Globe for best director, said that he hoped his prize for the World War I epic “1917” would mean that “people will turn up and see this on the big screen, the way it was intended.” Mendes’s comments mirror remarks made by Martin Scorcese, director of the acclaimed “The Irishman,” who asked audiences to watch his film in theaters if possible, despite the film being made possible thanks to a considerable investment from Netflix. As people increasingly abandon theaters for the convenience offered by mobile devices, directors fear that the cinematic experience afforded by a night at the movies faces extinction, as evidenced by their negative commentary on the nature of streaming services as well as the relative paucity of prizes award to Netflix and similar services.

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The timing of the ceremony coincided with a number of significant political events, which celebrities unsurprisingly took the opportunity to offer their personal views on. In particular, climate change took center stage last night, as actors used their platform to draw attention to the wildfires currently devastating Australia and the world’s relative lack of action in the face of catastrophic global warming. Russell Crowe was not able to attend the ceremony as he was in Australia with his family, so Jennifer Aniston, who spoke on his behalf, pleaded with the world “to act” in the midst of this crisis in order to “respect our planet for the unique and amazing place it is.” Joaqin Phoenix, too, addressed climate change while accepting his award for his performance in “Joker,” saying, “it’s really nice that so many people have sent their well wishes to Australia but we have to do more than that,” adding “we don’t have to take private jets to Palm Springs for the awards.”

Coincidentally, the show took place the night before the first day of Harvey Weinstein’s trial; while nobody mentioned Weinstein by name, some celebrities addressed the problem of sexual misconduct and the value of speaking truth to power. Michelle Williams, who won the award for best actress in a limited series or TV movie for “Fosse/Verdon,” urged women to vote in their own self-interest in order to gain political power, saying “as women and as girls, things can happen to our bodies that our not our choice.” 

The new threat of war with Iran also became a subject for commentary during the show, as several actors and actresses expressed their opposition to the conflict and to President Donald Trump more generally. Patricia Arquette, while accepting an award for her role in “The Act,” criticized the president directly, saying that historians will characterize that night as “a country on the brink of war… and a president tweeting out a threat of 52 bombs including cultural sites.” She concluded by saying, “while I love my kids so much, I beg of us all to give them a better world.”

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Last night’s ceremony functioned not just as a recognition for the talent featured in the entertainment world, but of the overall atmosphere of despair clouding the American public consciousness. This was perhaps best captured by Ricky Gervais’s nihilistic opening monologue, during which he repeatedly told the audience that he didn’t care, despite preemptively accusing his celebrity peers of hypocrisy for their political activism as they’ve done work for companies with questionable ethics like Apple and Amazon, and concluding his monologue by urging the audience to “donate to Australia.” Gervais went so far as to say, “if you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a platform to make a political speech; you’re in no position to lecture the public about anything, you know nothing of the real world.” Such a scathing and nihilistic attitude is a consequence of the fatigue many of us feel in response to the extremity of recent political events, and as this fatigue continues, it is sure to manifest ever-more prominently in American culture.

Star Wars Rise of Skywalker

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Popular with Audiences, but not Critics

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The third entry in the latest Star Wars trilogy just hit theaters, and while the film undeniably did well at the box office, critics felt that it lacked imagination and it prioritized appealing fans over advancing the narrative. According to Rotten Tomatoes, 86% of viewers liked the new Star Wars movie, whereas only 57% of critics gave it a positive review. This stands in contrast with the previous two entries in the series; both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi were well received by critics, earning a Tomatometer score of 93% and 91% respectively, though a majority of viewers disliked the second film, which has an audience score of only 43%. For the third movie, director J.J. Abrams set out to address what audiences perceived to be some of the problems with The Last Jedi; apparently, this effort succeeded with audiences but not with critics, suggesting that the movie sacrifices its artistic potential in service of providing audiences with a predictable spectacle.

Even director J.J. Abrams felt that critics’ assessments of the film were fair. During a Q&A session after a screening of the film, he was asked what he thought about critics’ and audiences’ differing perspectives. Abrams said that both critics and audiences were right, suggesting that much of the controversy comes from the differing opinions on what viewers want out of a Star Wars movie. The prolific director explained that during the production of the movie, he knew that many of the decisions he and his team had to make would please some and infuriate others, so he was not too surprised about the movie’s polarized reception. Abrams directed the first and third entries in the trilogy, and Rian Johnson directed the second movie; in the latest installment, Abrams decided to walk back some of the changes and developments that occurred in the second movie, causing much of the controversy that emerged in the wake of the film’s release.

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One aspect of the movie that was universally praised, through, was its presentation. In particular, the special effects were well-received across the board, and critics and fans enjoyed the musical score, which was composed by series veteran John Williams. Much like the The Force Awakens, however, the movie’s writing was considered by many to be too derivative of previous entries and lacking in imagination. 

Writing for NPR, Bob Mondello acknowledged the tremendously difficult task of satisfyingly concluding a story involving the nine films, the first of which was released in 1977, but criticized the director’s approach of doing so by recycling previously-seen story elements in an homage to the series that ultimately led to a predictable outcome. Matthew Rozsa of Salon liked the film overall, but acknowledged that it wouldn’t satisfy everyone, writing that people who disliked The Last Jedi would probably like The Rise of Skywalker, but people who liked The Last Jedi would probably not, though he conceded that “at times the plot does strain under the weight of its responsibilities.” And Brandon Katz of Observer opined that ending the nine-part series “in a universally satisfying conclusion simply isn’t possible,” but that at the very least Abrams gave fans “a swashbuckling adventure film that sparks the kid inside of you as it delivers a series of big movie moments ripe for broad appeal.”

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In many ways, audiences felt differently. Reviews submitted to Rotten Tomatoes were positive, as viewers found the experience entertaining, praising the use of CGI, the exciting light-saber duels, and the music, though some people complained about the plot. Among the 36,000 reviews, a common refrain was praise for all of the movie’s elements except for the plot, which proved controversial; while some viewers enjoyed how well the movie ties up loose ends, others felt that the story was too convoluted, at times nonsensical, and failed to honor story elements established in the previous eight films. Whatever the case may be, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker proves to be an entertaining and fun Star Wars experience, as long as you can overlook some of the more divisive storytelling decisions.