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www.latimes.com

Congressman nominates 27 Latino films for National Film Registry

Films by and about Latinos have often been left out of historical conversations including the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry. But Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), along with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, has been trying to change that.

Castro has been working for years to help increase Latino representation in multiple industries across the U.S., including entertainment. Last week he sent a letter to Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and the National Film Preservation Board listing 27 Latino films that should be considered for this year’s selection.

The goal of the registry is to select films that showcase a variety of range and diversity of American film heritage.

“This is my attempt and the Hispanic Caucus’ attempt to celebrate their contributions so that people will rightfully see us for something other than just the stereotypes,” Castro said. “As an industry that is purported to be incredibly culturally progressive in all kinds of causes, [the entertainment industry] has in fact been regressive and detrimental to the development of new voices, and the Latino community has paid the price of that exclusion.”

Castro said that the lack of representation on the registry is harmful not only to the Latino community, but also to other marginalized groups. He said he carefully selected films that break common stereotypes placed on the Latino community.

“Given the film industry’s continued exclusion of Latinos, we must make a special effort to ensure that Latino Americans’ contributions to American filmmaking are appropriately celebrated and included in the National Film Registry,” Castro said in his letter.

Every year the registry adds 25 films from the list of nominees and in recent years has increased emphasis on films by people of color and women. Even with this increase, out of the 850 titles on the registry, only 24 of them are Latino films.

Ana-Christina Ramón, the inaugural director of the Entertainment and Media Research Initiative at UCLA, has dedicated much of her work to researching access and equity in the entertainment industry. She said that including Latino films on the list of nominees and in the registry is crucial.

“Latinx people have been living here since before it was the United States and they are part of the American experience, and so for them not to be included, I think it would be a travesty,” Ramón said.

Ramón also said it is not only about the types of diverse stories that are being told, but also who is getting the jobs to play those roles.

“These films not only tell the story about Latin culture, but they influence American culture as well,” Ramón said.

Castro said the film industry seems to be more exclusive with the diversity of its lists than the music industry because it’s “layered with more gatekeepers.”

“That’s what this work is about. It’’s a celebration of the culture, but also a reminder to Hollywood that we’re here, that our contributions matter, and that they are worthy of recognition,” Castro said.

One of the films on the Library of Congress’ nomination list is “Sleep Dealer” by director Alex Rivera, which was released in 2008. The Sundance award-winning film is a sci-fi thriller about a young man, Memo Cruz, played by Luis Fernando Peña, in near-future Mexico who tries to survive a “misguided drone attack.”

Cruz tries to find safety near the U.S.-Mexico border but finds out migrant workers are unable to cross the border. He then tries to connect his body to a robot in the U.S. to help find a better future.

For over two decades, Rivera, who is a MacArthur “Genius Grant” winner and professor at Arizona State University, has dedicated his career to telling adventurous Latino stories. He said that Latino stories are not given adequate support to be successful. He said there is no shortage of Latino stories, but the problem is that there is not enough interest in Latino stories from decision makers.

“It’s so important that someone like Rep. Castro is using his platform and his power to highlight the simple reality of our community as part of this country,” Rivera said.

The official list of films added to the registry will be announced in December.

Here are the films nominated by Castro:

“... and the Earth Did Not Swallow Him” (1994)
“Blood In Blood Out” (1993)
“Raising Victor Vargas” (2002)
“Frida” (2002)
“I Like It Like That” (1994)
“Walkout” (2006)
“Mosquita y Mari” (2012)
“The Milagro Beanfield War” (1988)
“Under the Same Moon” (2007)
“American Me” (1992)
“Tortilla Soup” (2001)
“Mi Vida Loca” (1993)
“Instructions Not Included” (2013)
“Maria Full of Grace” (2004)
“Girlfight” (2000)
“La Mission” (2010)
“Sleep Dealer” (2008)
“Alambrista!” (1977)
“Our Latin Thing” (1972)
“Cheech & Chong’s Up in Smoke” (1978)
“A Better Life” (2011)
“Gun Hill Road” (2011)
“In the Time of the Butterflies” (2001)
“Roberto Clemente” (2008)
“The Longoria Affair” (2010)

https://irle.ucla.edu/emri/

latimes.com/genius-fellows-latinx-files

asu.edu/20221027-genius-grant-fellows-launch-latino-filmmaking-lab-asus-poitier-film-school

I was gonna submit a pull request, but I see they say no new feature request rn with big changes coming.

Just wanting to throw out there my wish for a new feature.

I like the current ability to switch from video to audio, so would like that to stay the same

But I'd love to be able to set it to a default codec option for each.

It's a pain to have to always have to switch it to those free as in freedom codecs everytime

www.latimes.com

Despite decades of colonial violence, extractive greed and invasive Mt. Rushmore tourism, South Dakota’s wondrous Black Hills are fixed in the hearts and minds of those they were taken from, the Očéti Šakówiŋ, a First Peoples alliance of the Lakota, Nakota and Dakota tribes.

Everyone agrees on the place’s stunning beauty and bounty. But the fight for who belongs on these millions of acres — the descendants of its original stewards, for whom the Black Hills are sacred, or the government-backed settlers who’ve exploited the land — is a drawn-out story rarely contextualized effectively. That corrective history is now front and center in Jesse Short Bull’s and Laura Tomaselli’s documentary “Lakota Nation vs. United States,” a lyrical, edifying and blistering plea for Indigenous justice.

Toggling between interviews, archival footage and graceful imagery of the region (underscored by evocative narration from award-winning poet Layli Long Soldier), the film charts a generational conflict that has shown the United States to be an untrustable partner, beginning with the Fort Laramie treaty of 1851. Protesters gather behind a banner

A scene from the documentary “Lakota Nation vs. United States.”

(IFC Films)

America’s routine encroachments in the years that followed — to mine gold, to expand property ownership or just to wipe out a perceived threat to Manifest Destiny — were only the physical violations. Just as pernicious were the spiritual and cultural erasures: the sadistic boarding schools designed to force Christian assimilation, and the racist Hollywood stereotyping in cartoons, movies and television (snippets of which the filmmakers thread in for appropriately queasy emphasis).

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George Armstrong Custer’s homicidal craziness, meanwhile, gets white-washed into a tragedy, while the carving of Mt. Rushmore, which required the spoiling of a treasured mountain known as Six Grandfathers, is rightly viewed as a shrine to white supremacy. The goal, journalist Nick Estes notes in the film, was to make the Indigenous a “phase” in American history.

The battle hasn’t always felt insurmountable, thanks to persistent legal challenges and the birth of the Red Power movement during the civil rights era. Even a 1980 Supreme Court decision in favor of the Great Sioux Nation laid bare the unconstitutional misdealings, and recognized the theft of the Black Hills from the Očéti Šakówiŋ. Three Indigenous persons in face makeup pose for the camera.

A scene from the documentary “Lakota Nation vs. United States.”

(IFC Films)

But the tribes have never accepted the awarded money, now totaling $2 billion. To them, the land can’t be bought, only returned. The modern campaign to restore Black Hills sovereignty for the tribes, as seen on the cap of interviewee Nick Tilsen, an activist, is called “Land Back.” Not to own, but to keep and respect.

Milo Yellow Hair, one of the film’s more eloquent elders, calls the Black Hills their “cradle of civilization.” That concept is bolstered by the interstitial photography of the landscape, woven in like a visual commentary throughout. Somehow avoiding the nature-film trap of being blandly picturesque, these images convey a sublime transcendence that binds us more deeply to a story of identity.

The timeline has always been grim. But this tableau of past wrongs and wretched consequences nonetheless feeds into what’s celebratory about our current progressive moment: a re-energized debate about stolen land and inequity, spurred by young people invigorated by the history they were never taught, and gaining traction with non-Natives to boot. Their inspiring actions against pipelines (another 1868 treaty violation) and further environmental harm give “Lakota Nation vs. United States” a well-earned third-act uplift. There’s no way to know what will happen with the Black Hills, but we get the idea that not only is the fight far from over, the legacy of resistance is in good hands.

'Lakota Nation vs. United States'

Rating: PG-13, for some strong language, violent images and thematic elements

Running time: 1 hour, 58 minutes

Playing: Starts July 21 at Laemmle Royal, West Los Angeles

Links: https://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-rushmoreside12aug12-story.html

https://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-ca-jc-layli-long-soldier-20170426-story.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-apr-12-et-book12-story.html

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-21/landback-los-angeles-indigenous-school

theverge.com

Around the time J. Robert Oppenheimer learned that Hiroshima had been struck (alongside everyone else in the world) he began to have profound regrets about his role in the creation of that bomb. At one point when meeting President Truman Oppenheimer wept and expressed that regret. Truman called him a crybaby and said he never wanted to see him again. And Christopher Nolan is hoping that when Silicon Valley audiences of his film Oppenheimer (out June 21) see his interpretation of all those events they’ll see something of themselves there too.

After a screening of Oppenheimer at the Whitby Hotel yesterday Christopher Nolan joined a panel of scientists and Kai Bird, one of the authors of the book Oppenheimer is based on to talk about the film, American Prometheus. The audience was filled mostly with scientists, who chuckled at jokes about the egos of physicists in the film, but there were a few reporters, including myself, there too.

We listened to all too brief debates on the success of nuclear deterrence and Dr. Thom Mason, the current director of Los Alamos, talked about how many current lab employees had cameos in the film because so much of it was shot nearby. But towards the end of the conversation the moderator, Chuck Todd of Meet the Press, asked Nolan what he hoped Silicon Valley might learn from the film. “I think what I would want them to take away is the concept of accountability,” he told Todd.

“Applied to AI? That’s a terrifying possibility. Terrifying.”

He then clarified, “When you innovate through technology, you have to make sure there is accountability.” He was referring to a wide variety of technological innovations that have been embraced by Silicon Valley, while those same companies have refused to acknowledge the harm they’ve repeatedly engendered. “The rise of companies over the last 15 years bandying about words like ‘algorithm,’ not knowing what they mean in any kind of meaningful, mathematical sense. They just don’t want to take responsibility for what that algorithm does.”

He continued, “And applied to AI? That’s a terrifying possibility. Terrifying. Not least because as AI systems go into the defense infrastructure, ultimately they’ll be charged with nuclear weapons and if we allow people to say that that’s a separate entity from the person’s whose wielding, programming, putting AI into use, then we’re doomed. It has to be about accountability. We have to hold people accountable for what they do with the tools that they have.”

While Nolan didn’t refer to any specific company it isn’t hard to know what he’s talking about. Companies like Google, Meta and even Netflix are heavily dependent on algorithms to acquire and maintain audiences and often there are unforeseen and frequently heinous outcomes to that reliance. Probably the most notable and truly awful being Meta’s contribution to genocide in Myanmar.

“At least is serves as a cautionary tale.”

While an apology tour is virtually guaranteed now days after a company’s algorithm does something terrible the algorithms remain. Threads even just launched with an exclusively algorithmic feed. Occasionally companies might give you a tool, as Facebook did, to turn it off, but these black box algorithms remain, with very little discussion of all the potential bad outcomes and plenty of discussion of the good ones.

“When I talk to the leading researchers in the field of AI they literally refer to this right now as their Oppenheimer moment,” Nolan said. “They’re looking to his story to say what are the responsibilities for scientists developing new technologies that may have unintended consequences.”

“Do you think Silicon Valley is thinking that right now?” Todd asked him.

“They say that they do,” Nolan replied. “And that’s,” he chuckled, “that’s helpful. That at least it’s in the conversation. And I hope that thought process will continue. I’m not saying Oppenheimer’s story offers any easy answers to these questions. But at least it serves a cautionary tale.”

screenrant.com

The Boys season 4 could feature any number of shocking twists, but these revelations would make a lot of sense judging by the satire's story so far. The Boys season 4 story predictions

Although The Boys season 4 is sure to shock audiences, there are a few major twists that viewers could realistically predict for this much-awaited outing. The Boys is a doubly unpredictable show thanks to its wild source material and how frequently the show diverges from this established canon. The dark superhero hero satire of Garth Ennis’s comic book The Boys was already unpredictable, but even viewers who have read the entire run of the cult comic will have a hard time guessing where the Prime series is going. The Boys seasons 1–3 changed a lot of major story details from the comics, making the plot utterly unpredictable.

Except that is not quite true, since canny viewers can still guess where the series is heading through careful viewing. For example, Soldier Boy’s costume change in The Boys season 3 secretly signaled that his character would be based on elements from the comic’s original 1940s Soldier Boy rather than his sycophantic contemporary iteration. While this alone would not have led viewers to guess that Homelander was secretly Soldier Boy’s son, it did clue viewers into Soldier Boy’s real age. This information, in turn, could have led a viewer to guess the big twist. Applying similar logic, here are 10 The Boys twists that could happen in season 4.

10 Billy Butcher Dies In The Boys Season 4

When Hughie and Butcher began using Temp V in The Boys season 3, they knew that this was a risky habit. However, when Butcher learned just how much of a toll the substance had on his health, he continued to use Temp V despite this. As such, if The Boys season 4 doesn’t turn Hughie and Butcher into permanent Supes, the outing is likely to kill off Butcher. This would be a big upset since Butcher is arguably the show's main character, but the twist could work thanks to his self-destructive tendencies.

9 Hughie's Mother Was A Supe All Along

The fact that Hughie’s mother has never been discussed in-depth in The Boys implies that there might be a dark history there, as does the show’s obsession with parents and their impact on the lives of their children. While Butcher and Homelander are locked in a tragic paternity battle, Hughie’s single father seems comparatively stable in most of his brief appearances. Therefore, it would make sense for The Boys season 4 to reveal that Hughie’s mother was really a supe after season 3 saw him gain temporary powers. This would also connect with another possible twist.

8 Starlight and Hughie Have A Child In The Boys Season 4

When Hughie was attempting to access information in The Boys season 3, he admitted to Starlight that he may have accidentally signed them up to adopt a child. While Starlight’s role in The Boys season 4 makes a pregnancy unlikely (but not technically impossible), this forgotten subplot opens up the possibility of Starlight and Hughie having a child together. This would make thematic sense in The Boys season 4, particularly if the series also brought Hughie’s mother back to the forefront of the plot.

7 The Boys Season 4 Brings Back Stormfront

Stormfront got a gruesome, drawn-out death in The Boys season 3, but it seems unlikely that she is really dead given all that she has ensured before. Considering the amount of brutality that Soldier Boy could make it through in the season 3 finale, it is reasonable to suggest that Stormfront could return in The Boys season 4. This would be terrible timing for Homelander, who has just started to successfully rehabilitate his public image after her death. However, the question of whether Homelander would see her as a love interest or an obstacle remains to be seen.

6 Mother’s Milk Takes Compound V In The Boys Season 4

Mother’s Milk has been hoping for revenge on Soldier Boy since his childhood. However, he couldn’t fight the villain during Herogasm because he had no powers. Since Hughie and Butcher already took Temp V numerous times and Mother’s Milk’s counterpart is a supe, it would make perfect sense for him to utilize Temp V to level the playing field. This could make Mother’s Milk a villain in The Boys season 4 if he can’t handle his newfound powers.

5 Ryan Will Kill Homelander In The Boys Season 4

Ryan has already bounced between Butcher and Homelander when it comes to his loyalties. While he ended up on Homeland’s side in The Boys season 3 finale, this doesn’t mean that he will stay there for good. As such, if and when Ryan realizes how awful Homelander is, it is possible that he will be the one to finally kill the villain. Since Ryan is already implied to potentially be as powerful as Homelander, this would be a fitting karmic end for the show's biggest antagonist.

4 Stan Edgar Is Working With Neumann In The Boys Season 4

There is no way that Giancarlo Esposito’s character Stan Edgar is simply gone after The Boys season 3. His support would make it harder for The Boys to stop Victoria Neumann and Neumann’s potential ascent to higher political power would work in Vought’s favor. As such, the smartest thing for this cool-headed villain to do would be to lay low and collaborate with Neumann, so it is likely that The Boys season 4 will see him do just that.

3 Vought Uses Soldier Boy Against Supes In The Boys Season 4

It makes sense for Soldier Boy to return in The Boys season 4. Vought still has him alive in storage, and he remains a lethal asset. However, he also had a unique ability that makes him particularly dangerous for supes. Maeve and Kimiko lost their powers after fights with Soldier Boy, meaning the villain might be able to drain supes of their powers when he fights them. This would make him invaluable to Vought in The Boys season 4 and a major problem for Starlight and Homelander alike.

2 The Boys Season 4 Makes Homelander President

As The Boys season 4 continues to satirize right-wing politicians via Homeland’s presidential campaign, it is looking increasingly likely that the unlikely candidate could end up becoming President of the United States. Homelander is divisive but has a massive, endlessly loyal fan base, and he has a huge media machine working for him. As such, his ascent to the presidency seems downright likely in The Boys season 4.

1 Todd Works For The Seven In The Boys Season 4

Todd was a minor antagonist in The Boys season 3 but if he works with the Seven, this could help Homelander’s campaign and lead to Mother’s Milk confronting him all over again. Todd’s role in The Boys season 4 would allow the show to satirize the ways in which celebrity worship can lead to full-blown political fanaticism and the attendant violence that comes with this. As such, The Boys season 4 is likely to not only bring back this minor villain but also empower him by giving him a role supporting Homelander’s political aspirations.

screenrant.com

Seth Rogen previews the upcoming Sausage Party TV spinoff Foodtopia, revealing that a scene was specifically screened for Amazon’s PR people. Blended image of Frank and Brenda looking worried in Sausage Party

Sausage Party star Seth Rogen hypes the upcoming TV spinoff Foodtopia following a screening of a scene to Amazon's PR people. Directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan, with Kyle Hunter, Ariel Shaffir, Seth Rogen, and Evan Goldberg writing the script, 2016's Sausage Party follows an anthropomorphic sausage that lives in a supermarket and goes on a journey once he learns the truth about what happens to groceries after they're purchased. The comedy was a hit, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated animated movie with $141.3 million until it was surpassed by Demon Slayer: Mugen Train in 2020. In October 2022, Amazon Studios confirmed that a sequel show was in the works.

Speaking with Collider, Rogen gave an update on Sausage Party: Foodtopia. With production on the sequel show underway, the actor and producer mentioned that one scene was specially screened for Amazon's PR people. Rogen also talks about Kristen Wiig's hilarious response to the "unbelievably shocking" sequel show after the Emmy nominee came in to record a few lines. Read his quote below:

“There’s one specific scene that had a special screening for the Amazon PR people. You should all just start wrapping your heads around this now. You’ll probably have to talk about this a lot.’ We had Kristen Wiig in picking up a few lines the other day, and I think we’ve all become desensitized to it, because we’ll just be like, ‘Roll the scene!’, and then she was like, ‘Oh my God?! This is insane!’”

What To Know About Foodtopia

Although plot details about the forthcoming project are being kept under wraps, Foodtopia will see Sausage Party's original voice cast returning. Along with Rogen (Frank) and Wiig (Brenda), the sequel show will feature Michael Cera, David Krumholtz, and Edward Norton reprising their respective roles as Barry, Kareem Abdul Lavash, and Sammy Bagel Jr. Will Forte, Sam Richardson, Natasha Rothwell, and Yassir Lester are set to join the ensemble.

Sausage Party: Foodtopia, which was announced to be in production when the news first broke, will be executive produced by Ariel Shaffir and Kyle Hunter. They'll also serve as co-showrunners. Rogen, Goldberg, James Weaver, and Alex McAtee also executive produce under their Point Grey Pictures banner. Point Grey, a film and TV production company, is also behind projects such as The Boys, Invincible, and Pam & Tommy.

The sequel show is expected to arrive on Prime Video in 2024, though an exact debut date is unknown. The original Sausage Party was generally well-received, sitting at 82 percent on Rotten Tomatoes with a detailed score breakdown of 6.60 and 6.80 with top critics and all critics, respectively. It remains to be seen if what works as a relatively short movie can have the same enjoyment when it's cooked up for the longer TV form.

Source: Collider, Rotten Tomatoes

[[[Links](https://screenrant.com/sausage-party-gets-spinoff-show-with-original-cast/)](https://collider.com/seth-rogen-sausage-party-foodtopia-comments/)](http://screenrant.com/tag/sausage-party/)

nbclosangeles

Sam Meredith,CNBC 5 - 6 minutes

• The U.N. weather agency on Tuesday declared the onset of the major climate phenomenon, warning its return paves the way for a likely spike in global temperatures and extreme weather conditions.
• "Early warnings and anticipatory action of extreme weather events associated with this major climate phenomenon are vital to save lives and livelihoods," said Petteri Taalas, secretary general of the WMO.
• The warmest year ever recorded, 2016, started off with a powerful El Nino that helped to boost global temperatures.

El Niño has arrived.

The U.N. weather agency on Tuesday declared the onset of the major climate phenomenon, warning its return paves the way for a likely spike in global temperatures and extreme weather conditions.

The World Meteorological Organization estimated that there's a 90% probability of the El Niño event persisting through the second half of the year and it is expected to be "at least moderate strength."

It urged governments across the globe to respond to its declaration by taking immediate steps to help protect lives and livelihoods.

"The onset of El Niño will greatly increase the likelihood of breaking temperature records and triggering more extreme heat in many parts of the world and in the ocean," said Petteri Taalas, secretary general of the WMO.

"The declaration of an El Niño by WMO is the signal to governments around the world to mobilize preparations to limit the impacts on our health, our ecosystems and our economies," he said. Money Report

"Early warnings and anticipatory action of extreme weather events associated with this major climate phenomenon are vital to save lives and livelihoods."

The update follows a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in early June, which said El Niño conditions were present and "expected to gradually strengthen into the Northern Hemisphere winter."

'Yet another wake up call'

Separately, a WMO report in May, led by the U.K.'s Met Office, warned there is a 66% chance that the annual average near-surface global temperature between 2023 and 2027 will briefly surpass 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for at least one year.

The 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold is the aspirational global temperature limit set in the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement. Its importance is widely recognized because so-called tipping points become more likely beyond this level. Tipping points are thresholds at which small changes can lead to dramatic shifts in Earth's entire life support system.

A multi-purpose anti-dust truck sprays water for cooling on a street during hot weather conditions in Handan, in China's northern Hebei province on June 27, 2023.

A multi-purpose anti-dust truck sprays water for cooling on a street during hot weather conditions in Handan, in China's northern Hebei province on June 27, 2023.

"This is not to say that in the next five years we would exceed the 1.5°C level specified in the Paris Agreement because that agreement refers to long-term warming over many years," said Chris Hewitt, WMO director of climate services.

"However, it is yet another wake up call, or an early warning, that we are not yet going in the right direction to limit the warming to within the targets set in Paris in 2015 designed to substantially reduce the impacts of climate change," Hewitt added.

What is El Niño?

The El Niño Southern Oscillation system is composed of El Niño and La Niña — two opposite states of fluctuation in the Earth's climate system, which can have significant consequences on weather, wildfires, ecosystems and economies across the world.

El Niño — or "the little boy" in Spanish — is widely recognized as the warming of the sea surface temperature, a naturally occurring climate pattern which occurs on average every two to seven years.

An El Niño event is declared when sea temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific rise 0.5 degrees Celsius above the long-term average. Episodes usually last nine to 12 months.

The Met Office recently confirmed that it was the hottest June on record for the U.K. with an average monthly temperature of 15.8C.

The effects of El Niño tend to peak during December, but the impact typically takes time to spread across the globe. This lagged effect is why forecasters believe 2024 could be the first year that humanity surpasses 1.5 degrees Celsius. Global average temperatures in 2022 were 1.1 degrees Celsius warmer when compared to the late 19th century.

The warmest year ever recorded, 2016, started off with a powerful El Niño that helped to boost global temperatures.

screenrant.com

There hasn’t been a new Alien movie since Alien: Covenant in 2017, but director Fede Álvarez’s upcoming film has now just wrapped filming. A xenomorph from Alien Covenant, spindly-limbed, translucent and covered in blood

This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

The Alien franchise drought is slowly approaching its end, with Fede Álvarez's new movie having now wrapped filming. After first getting its start back in 1979, the Alien franchise consists of six films in total, not including several crossovers with the Predator franchise. Now, original director Ridley Scott has handed the reins to Álvarez for a new film, with the newcomer best known for Don't Breathe and 2013's Evil Dead reboot.

Many questions remain about Álvarez's new Alien movie, but, according to Collider, the film has now wrapped principal photography, which brings it one step closer to hitting movie theater screens. With filming now complete, work will turn to post-production and what is likely a large number of visual effects sequences.

More to come...

Source: Collider

www.nbclosangeles.com

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." But you will need a streaming account if you want to rewatch this iconic '80s flick.

Released in July 1985, Back to the Future went on to become the highest grossing film of the year, making over $389 million and going on to become a beloved movie franchise.

And in honor of the epic film, starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, turning 38 (!) this year, we're hopping in the DeLorean, checking the plutonium levels and hitting 88 miles per hour to reveal some surprising secrets about the Robert Zemeckis-directed film franchise.

Like, the fact that another '80s star originally sported Marty McFly's Nike Mags before Fox took over several weeks into filming. (You can see the OG Marty in one scene, by the way!)

Plus, Lloyd originally passed on the chance to play Doc Brown, with a Jurassic Park actor nearly landing the iconic part before Lloyd changed his mind.

The Best Summer Movies...Ever

From the stars who were almost cast as Marty and Doc Brown to the actor who sued the studio, here are 30 behind-the-scenes facts you might not know about the beloved Back to the Future trilogy... Entertainment News

1. Writer and producer Bob Gale came up with the idea for the movie while looking through his father's high school yearbooks during a visit with family and discovering his dad was the president of his graduating class. As he put it to Esquire, "I wondered whether I would have been friends with my dad in high school."

2. For years, multiple studios passed on the script, more than 40 rejections in total. Among them: Disney, with Gale claiming they said, "Are you guys out of your minds? You can't make a movie like this here. This is Disney, and you're giving us a movie about incest!"

3. Not a fan of the title, Universal Pictures head Sid Sheinberg suggested the name be changed to Spaceman From Pluto.

4. John Cusack and Johnny Depp originally auditioned for the role of Marty McFly, but C. Thomas Howell was the finalist for the role, ultimately losing out to Eric Stoltz.

5. Five weeks into filming, the filmmakers realized Stoltz wasn't the right fit for the role, with Gale explaining to The Guardian, "The humor just hadn't been coming through with Eric. The studio weren't happy exactly, but they'd seen the footage so they bit the bullet."

6. Director Robert Zemeckis was the one to deliver the news to Stoltz, with the filmmaker recalling in the book Blockbuster that it was "the hardest meeting I've ever had in my life and it was all my fault. I broke his heart."

7. Reshooting all of the scenes Stoltz had already filmed added a reported $4 million to the movie's budget.

8. Because Michael J. Fox was the original first choice for Marty, the filmmakers worked with the team at his hit sitcom Family Ties to make sure they could have him as their leading man. "We would've danced naked on his desk to get Michael J. Fox, so of course we said, 'Yeah, sure, we'll adjust our shooting schedule,'" Gale told The Hundreds blog.

9. Fox's filming schedule was intense: He would shoot Family Ties during the day and then go right to the Back to the Future set from 6:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., averaging five hours of sleep a night. "It was my dream to be in the film and television business, although I didn't know I'd be in them simultaneously," Fox said during a TV special. "It was just this weird ride and I got on."

10. There is one scene with Stoltz still in the film. Though you can't see his face, it's Stoltz who punches Biff at the diner.

11. In the original script, Doc Brown was called Professor Brown, with a studio executive recommending the change.

12. Jeff Goldblum auditioned for the role of Doc Brown, according to Gale, who said, "The only other guy we really seriously considered for Doc Brown was Jeff Goldblum. Jeff came in, and…I'm certain we talked about John Lithgow, but I don't remember if he ever actually came in, or if we met him. But I vividly remember meeting Jeff and liking him."

13. Christopher Lloyd almost passed on the iconic role, hoping to do a play in New York instead. But he credited his wife, Carol, who "reminded me that I always told myself never to turn anything down without at least checking it out."

14. In an interview with the Seattle Times, Lloyd revealed his two inspirations for Doc: Albert Einstein and Philadelphia orchestra conductor Leopold Stokowski, who had white hair.

15. One of the reasons for Doc's hunched over stance? To help with the seven-inch height difference between the two leads.

16. The Office's Melora Hardin initially snagged the role of Marty's girlfriend Jennifer, but was recast before she even began filming after Fox replaced Stoltz. The issue: At 5-foot-5, she was an inch taller than Fox.

17. Though Claudia Wells originally played Jennifer in the first film, she retired from acting after her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Elisabeth Shue took over the role for the remaining installments.

18. Originally, the studio was hoping Doc's car would be a Ford Mustang, with the company paying for the placement, but Gale refused, telling AdWeek, "I said, 'No, no, no, Doc Brown doesn't drive a f--king Mustang.' It had to be a DeLorean."

19. Huey Lewis, who wrote the hit songs "The Power of Love," and "Back in Time" for the film, makes a cameo as one of the judges in the band audition.

20. Lewis originally declined to work on music for the movie when he was approached by the director.

21. In an early draft, the time machine was set to be a refrigerator, but Zemeckis was worried children would accidentally lock themselves in refrigerators, so it was changed to a car.

22. Originally slated to open in August 1985, test audiences reacted so positively to the movie that the studio moved the release date up. Back to the Future hit theaters nine weeks after completing production.

23. Crispin Glover, who played Marty's father George McFy, didn't return for the sequels due to contract disputes. He later filed a lawsuit after filmmakers used footage from the first film and put a mold of his face on another actor "in order to fool audiences into thinking I was in the movie," he said on The Opie and Anthony Show.

Ultimately, a settlement was reached, with The Hollywood Reporter reporting he received $760,000 at the behest of the company that insured Universal.

24. Lea Thompson credits her turn in 1984's The Wild Life for landing her the role of Lorraine, Marty's mother, because "they were looking at Eric Stoltz for Marty McFly, and they were, like, 'Who's that girl?' So that's how I got the first audition for that," she told The A.V. Club.

25. In the original script, Lorraine's name was Meg.

26. To achieve Lorraine's 1985 look, Thompson's prosthetic makeup took three and a half hours to apply.

27. In 2015, footage of Stoltz as Marty was released for the first time in a documentary included on the 30th anniversary Blu-ray set. "We wanted to soft pedal that," Gale said of the decision to release a small look at his turn performance. "We didn't want to make Eric feel bad."

28. Back to the Future: The Animated series ran for two seasons, airing on CBS from 1991 until 1992.

29. In March 2020, the musical adaptation of Back to the Future made its debut in England, with Olly Dobson as Marty McFly and Tony winner Roger Bart as Dr. Emmett Brown.

30. Zemeckis and Gale are firmly against the idea of a fourth film, with the director saying on a Zoom cast reunion that, "If I had an idea which I could have pitched to Bob [Gale] with a straight face, we would have made it."

screenrant.com

An original crossover movie idea was developed to combine the worlds of Rocky and The Karate Kid, but it didn't end up happening for one key reason. rocky-balboa-daniel-larusso-related-karate-kid-crossover

The iconic main characters of the Rocky and Karate Kid franchises were nearly set to collide in a Hollywood pitch that never happened. A crossover movie between the two main characters of the Rocky and Karate Kid franchises was reportedly in development as recently as 2012 until the project ultimately, and thankfully, fell through. The project was originally intended to be directed by John G. Avildsen, who directed the first Rocky movie in 1976 as well as the original Karate Kid trilogy.

The popular Karate Kid movies were designed in part to be an underdog sports movie similar to Rocky for a new generation. Despite the critical acclaim of the director behind both franchises, there are several reasons why a Rocky & Karate Kid crossover was a terrible idea from the start. One major benefit of the crossover film getting scrapped is the birth of two successful spin-offs as a result. The Rocky-inspired Creed movies are great with Michael B. Jordan in the ring and the popular Cobra Kai Netflix series is a direct sequel to the celebrated Karate Kid films.

Rocky 4 and Karate Kid 2

A Rocky and Karate Kid franchise crossover would have made Rocky and Daniel related. The failed pitch, which might work better in today's entertainment industry, was set to focus on Rocky's son, Rocky Balboa Jr., and Daniel's daughter. The two characters were supposed to meet and start a dojo together, only to realize that their fathers are long-lost relatives. The idea certainly would have been a narrative stretch that might have been overlooked for the sake of the excitement surrounding a Karate Kid and Rocky crossover. However, making Rocky and Daniel related would have ultimately been too cheeky and convenient to the point where it treks into the territory of forced and unnecessary.

Why The Rocky & Karate Kid Crossover Never Happened Rocky and The Karate Kid poster

The Rocky and Karate Kid crossover never happened most likely due to the lack of interest from the main actors. The initial idea itself didn't include Sylvester Stallone's Rocky or Ralph Macchio's Daniel and instead chose to focus on lesser-developed characters. Even if Stallone and Macchio appeared briefly in supporting roles, that might not have been compelling enough of a concept to garner a massive audience. Despite interest from the original director, the lack of support from both main actors of each franchise is the main reason why the crossover never happened.

Why Rocky & Daniel Being Family Would've Ruined Both Characters Sylvester Stallone shirtless in Rocky 3.

Furthermore, a crossover between Rocky and Daniel's characters would have absolutely ruined both characters. What began as a cool, fan-serviced idea would have ultimately undermined the integrity of both franchises, especially by forcing them to be related basically for a marketing gimmick. The crossover would have added nothing good to the original stories of each franchise and would have created a convoluted mess of overlaps in fighting styles, personalities, and undeveloped familial connections. Although a Karate Kid and Rocky crossover might sound promising, it doesn't work on multiple levels and never saw the light of day.

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Mountainfilm is one of the oldest and most well-regarded documentary film festivals in the United States. Calling Telluride, Colorado, home for 45 years, it highlights both shorts and features that focus on humanitarian issues, environmental crises, and adventure in the outdoors. This past Memorial Day weekend, I traveled to the Rocky Mountain state to experience the festival in person. However, you can watch several of these powerful films from anywhere, as many are free and available to the public via YouTube and Vimeo. Sometimes lighthearted, mostly outdoor-centered, and always inspirational, here are ten of my favorite 2023 Mountainfilm official selections that you can watch right now.

From The Shadow Of A Mountain

Many people turn to sports to find healing and redemption. The same is true for Markelle Taylor, who found running after he was incarcerated in San Quentin. Now a free man, he runs across Mount Tamalpais, the mountain that served as his beacon of hope while he was in prison. This compelling story is paired with artful Super 8 and black-and-white shots to give the film a moody, old-school feel.
Leo & Chester

Reaching a crossroads in his life, Leo Downey ventured into the wilderness to seek answers. Upon his return to civilization, he left his home in California and moved to British Columbia, Canada to become a buffalo rancher. Follow along as Leo faces the challenges of living in the North and earning the acceptance of his herd. Wild Waters

Since a young age, Nouria Newman was a kayaking superstar. From earning a spot on the French national team to medaling at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, it seemed like she was on the fast track to a long and prosperous career. However, intense pressure, disillusionment with the world of slalom kayaking, and a love for wild spaces force her to reevaluate her priorities. Throughout the film, Nouria shares her tumultuous relationship with kayaking and her quest to become the first woman to run a 100-foot waterfall. Miles To Go

Perry Cohen is a trail runner, trans advocate, and the founder of The Venture Out Project. In response to the recent spike in anti-LGBTQ+ bills throughout the United States, he gathered fellow male-identifying trans runners to foster community and increase queer visibility in the outdoors. As a team, they are competing in races across the country where trans rights are currently under attack. This powerful film showcases their journey as they find freedom in the outdoors and build bridges across political and cultural divides. Light Beams For Helena

Struggling with chronic depression and on the brink of suicide, Helena Bourdillon finds peace and stillness in free diving. This film explores the realities of living with mental illness, as well as how Helena’s underwater existence has reshaped her view on life and joy. It’s a stunningly beautiful film, both in its subject matter and in the ethereal subaquatic visuals. The Nine Wheels

After Laetitia is diagnosed with a serious neurodegenerative disease, the Schneeberger family’s life is turned on its head. Faced with their new reality, they decide to sell their house and move into a motorhome full-time, traveling to bike parks all over Europe while her children Emric and Raoul can hone their skills. Ultimately, this film is about unwavering love, the pursuit of adventure, and living life to its fullest. Reclaim Your Water: Natasha Smith

Natasha Smith is not afraid of chasing her passions, even if they go against societal expectations. With Ebony Beach Club, she is helping to diversify the beaches of Southern California and the sport of surfing. This film is a joyful reminder of the importance of spreading love and living your life without limits. Speed of Sound

After losing most of her sight at age 12, skier Carina Edlinger was faced with the challenge of navigating life in the dark. However, despite her disability, she has become a self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie and a world-class athlete, winning gold at the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing. This film highlights Carina’s story and is shot and edited to capture the fast-paced and fearless way she lives her life. To Be Frank

73-year-old Frank Paine is a larger-than-life character who has called the South Bay surf home for 58 years. Nicknamed “The Professor”, this mustached local legend shares his relationship with surfing and the community that he’s fostered. Frank’s playful spirit, alluring charm, genuine honesty, and beautiful outlook on life are what makes this film truly special. Paddle Tribal Waters

The largest dam removal project in the world is set for completion along the Klamath River in 2024. The film follows indigenous youth as they participate in Paddle Tribal Waters, learning the skills needed to complete a first descent of the river and advocate for the land. It’s both an aesthetically pleasing and deeply hopeful work of art. About Telluride

Telluride is located about six hours outside of Denver in the western San Juan Mountains. At nearly 9,000 feet above sea level, this mining-town-turned-alpine playground is a haven for mountain lovers of all kinds. In the winter, it’s known for its world-class skiing and snowboarding. And when the temperature begins to rise, there are several hiking and biking trails nearby for visitors to enjoy. During the spring and summer, it also hosts several iconic festivals, including Mountainfilm, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and the Telluride Film Festival. This quaint mountain town is the perfect mix of the outdoors, art, and culture.