The Suitor With the Shaggy Hair

By MOTOKO RICH from NYT World https://nyti.ms/2GIKiVr

The Long Shadows of a Failed War

By MOTOKO RICH from NYT World https://nyti.ms/2UPwBJp

Books of The Times: In ‘Spring,’ Ali Smith’s Series Takes Its Most Political Turn

The third book in Smith’s seasonal cycle is about a filmmaker, an old lefty, trying to make sense of the new world.

from NYT > Books https://nyti.ms/2J9dHL4

Prescribed Reading: What You Should Read to Understand the Measles Epidemic

In her Prescribed Reading column, Abigail Zuger looks at books exploring the immune system and the tumultuous history of vaccination.

from NYT > Books https://nyti.ms/2UJA3de

The Checkup: In Classic Children’s Books, a Window to Childhood in Past Centuries

Rare children’s books, made available online through the Library of Congress, show both the constants and the evolution in children’s literature.

from NYT > Books https://nyti.ms/2vsaVc0

Essay: Why Are There So Many Books About Dogs?

There are more than 70,000 dog books on Amazon, in every conceivable genre. What do they say about our relationship with canines?

from NYT > Books https://nyti.ms/2IPK5n0

Poetry: In ‘The Octopus Museum,’ Brenda Shaughnessy Sees a Cephalopod Future

Haunted by climate change, the poet’s postapocalyptic fifth collection envisions a world where humans have ruined things for everyone.

from NYT > Books https://nyti.ms/2GJifFf

Laura Linney to Return to Broadway in ‘My Name Is Lucy Barton’

The play, adapted from the novel by Elizabeth Strout, was previously presented at the Bridge Theater in London.

from NYT > Books https://nyti.ms/2ZLflZh

Books News: She Pulled Her Debut Book When Critics Found It Racist. Now She Plans to Publish.

Amélie Wen Zhao canceled the June publication of her young adult novel, “Blood Heir,” after claims that it had insensitive depictions of slavery. Then she decided the critics were wrong.

from NYT > Books https://nyti.ms/2GJye6p

IS Leader Appears in Video for First Time in 5 years

The shadowy leader of the Islamic State group claimed to appear for the first time in five years in a video released by the extremist group’s propaganda arm on Monday, acknowledging defeat in the group’s last stronghold in Syria but vowing a “long battle” ahead.

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A New Way to Church: Justin Bieber's Pastor Launches App to Take Church Global

He's one of the men who helped introduce Justin Bieber to Jesus Christ. Now Pastor Judah Smith is working on the rest of the world, bringing church to your smartphone and tablet in a new way.

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Replacing Israel with Anti-Semitism in the Church, and What It Means for the End Times

Replacement theology in the Christian view of the Messiah has taken us far off target, and it affects our end-times theology. The common view of the church replacing Israel has caused huge consequences. Many Jews have a hard time believing in a Jewish Messiah that has replaced them. Many other Jews realize the truth that replacement theology is wrong and that the Messiah is still in a covenant relationship with them, as they have come to the understanding of wonderful saving grace.

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'War Footing': Church Canceled Indefinitely, Catholic Leaders in Sri Lanka Dissatisfied With Government Response

Catholic church leaders in Sri Lanka say they aren't satisfied with how the government has handled the investigation following the Easter Sunday attacks that left over 250 people dead. 

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Sri Lanka Militants Set off Bombs During Raid, Killing 15

Militants linked to Easter suicide bombings opened fire and set off explosives during a raid by Sri Lankan security forces on a house in the country’s east, leaving behind a grisly discovery Saturday: 15 bodies, including six children.

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'It's as if Cuba Has Annexed the Country': As Venezuela Crisis Prolonged, Franklin Graham Launches Border Outreach

The United Nations has called the exodus of refugees from Venezuela "unparalleled" in the modern history of South America. More than a million of the country's four million refugees have fled to the neighboring nation of Colombia, but that's where tens of thousands of them had a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ over Easter weekend.

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Canada Releases 'Gay Coin' to Celebrate LGBTQ2 Anniversary, Christians Call It 'An Affront to Our God'

The Royal Canadian Mint has released a commemorative one-dollar coin (known as a "loonie") to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalization of the LGBTQ community.  

from CBNNews.com http://bit.ly/2DAz2K9
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As Warning Emerges of New Sri Lanka Church Attacks, Global Christian Persecution Still 'Obscured'

Sri Lankan Christians fear more attacks are coming as the nation is still in mourning over the horrific bombings on Easter. Last Sunday's bombings were one of the world's worst terrorist attacks since 9/11, but there's still a sense that Americans don't grasp that Christians around the world are so targeted.  

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Sri Lanka Says Easter Attack Leader Died in Hotel Bombing

The suspected leader of the militant group Sri Lankan authorities said carried out a series of Easter Sunday bombings died in the blast at the Shangri-La hotel, one of six hotels and churches targeted in the attacks that killed at least 250 people, officials said Friday.

from CBNNews.com http://bit.ly/2L5JEa5
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'The Porn Industry Is Modern-Day Slavery': How Pornography and Sex Trafficking Are Linked

To most people, sex trafficking is a problem that exists in distant foreign countries. You may think, “But it certainly isn’t something that would involve me, is it?” If you view pornography, then the answer is “Yes.”

from CBNNews.com http://bit.ly/2PzlzqM
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Sri Lankan Woman Left a Childless Widow, Losing Most of Her Family in Easter Church Bombing

Before the undertakers could move in, Anusha Kumari wrested herself away from her sisters and flung herself on the three coffins, wailing. In an instant, she was left childless and a widow when suicide bombers attacked churches and luxury hotels in and near Sri Lanka's capital of Colombo.

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Sri Lanka Bombing Suspect Arrested, Manhunt Underway for Islamist Ringleader

The father of two of the Easter suicide bombers in Sri Lanka has been arrested on suspicion of aiding his sons. That word came Thursday from the country's former navy chief as a nationwide search continues for the suspected ring-leader of the Easter bombings in churches and hotels.  

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KPMG 'severely reprimanded' over audit

The accountancy giant has been "severely reprimanded" for the way it audited an insurance company.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2Lcr2Fl

Debenhams closures: Four ways to use the empty stores

Across the UK, empty department stores are being turned into everything from housing to arts spaces.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2IQFEYO

Operators say government should lose oversight of rail

Long-distance routes should also be serviced by more than one company to spark competition, they said.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2PD6ioK

Trade war: What you need to know about US-China talks

Talks appear to be reaching the final stretch though both sides remain divided on several key issues.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2vuHl5H

Google owner Alphabet misses sales forecasts

Shares in the internet giant tumble nearly 7% after its sales growth falls short of forecasts.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2VFF1aQ

WeWork office giant plans US share listing

The US firm which offers shared office space around the world is yet to make a profit.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2XW9yyp

Woodstock 50 anniversary festival cancelled, investor says

Rapper Jay-Z, singer Miley Cyrus and the Killers band were booked to play at Woodstock 50 in New York.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2ZIRcmi

Boeing safety system not at fault, says chief executive

Dennis Muilenburg says a safety mechanism was only one factor in two fatal Boeing plane crashes.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2vsjIui

Mastercard and Visa agree to cut overseas card fees

The European Commission says the deal will lead to "lower prices for European retailers to do business".

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2vr3Vft

Labour's John McDonnell says UK economy requires 'revolution'

Shadow chancellor says people want change in a Newsnight series marking Mrs Thatcher's election.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2IOGbL3

Quietly-spoken investor seeks change at Barclays

British-born but US-based investor Edward Bramson is seeking election to the bank's board on Thursday.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2GPsc5b

Huawei: US official warns 'no safe level' of involvement with tech giant

Intelligence sharing will be at risk if countries use the firm to build 5G networks, official says.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2UJwKhr

Almost a third of graduates 'overeducated' for their job

The Office for National Statistics says 31% of graduates are overeducated for their job.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2ULvt9I

US firm apologises for seeking 'preferably Caucasian' candidate

A US firm has apologised for a job ad that stated it would prefer white candidates.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2Vr0wMr

A supermarket is being piloted which has no tills, forcing customers to pay by app.

A supermarket is being piloted in London which has no tills, forcing customers to pay by app. Emma Simpson reports.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2PAXyj0

How tech is bringing Israelis and Palestinians together

Young people on either side of a decades-old conflict seldom meet, but tech is building bridges.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2vrILxN

Why the bicycle's future looks bright

The bicycle ushered in a manufacturing revolution as well as a social one, and is doing so again.

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2PFhFwy

Is the UK economy at a new moment of sea-change?

Forty years ago Mrs Thatcher came to power, is the UK economy at another historic moment of change?

from BBC News - Business https://bbc.in/2ZL7OcU

How tech is bringing Israelis and Palestinians together

Young people on either side of a decades-old conflict seldom meet, but tech is building bridges.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2vrILxN
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Sri Lanka attacks: Where else in the world have face coverings been banned?

Following the Sri Lankan ban, BBC Reality Check looks at other countries that have imposed either a partial or complete ban on face coverings

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India student leader 'a symbol of protest' against PM Modi

Kanhaiya Kumar has emerged as an outlier in an election being seen as a battle for India's identity.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2UT7bL2
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Superhero Bits: Chris Pratt’s Illegal ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Set Video, DC Universe Yearly Subscription Deal & More

‘Avengers: Endgame’ Brought Back One MCU Star with Recycled Footage

There are a lot of surprising (and not-so-surprising) cameos in Avengers: Endgame. While almost all of these involved the original actors returning to reprise their previous roles, there was one specific case that resorted to recycling unused footage. You probably could’ve guessed this while watching the scene in question play-out, but now it’s been confirmed. See which MCU star was brought back with recycled footage below. Beware of major spoilers.

During Avengers: Endgame, Thor and Rocket take a trip through time and end up in Asgard, during the events of Thor: The Dark World. There, they encounter both Thor’s mother Frigga (Rene Russo), and Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), Thor’s old flame. Portman hasn’t appeared in a Marvel movie since The Dark World, and she reportedly wasn’t happy working with Marvel. The actress surprised everyone by appearing at the Avengers: Endgame premiere, which lead to speculation that she might have a part in the film.

Sure enough, Portman’s Jane Foster pops-up in the movie. Sort of. While Russo’s Frigga has a lengthy, emotional heart-to-heart scene with Thor, Jane is glimpsed mostly at a distance. There’s only one real close-up shot of her waking up from a nap, at which point she quickly walks off frame and we never see her again. Portman’s fleeting appearance gave me the distinct impression that Endgame was using older footage of the actress, rather than new scenes. Sure enough, that was exactly the case.

Speaking with EW, Endgame directors the Russo Brothers reveal that they used ” leftover” footage from Thor: The Dark World for Portman’s scenes. However, the actress did contribute something new for the film – her voice. According to Anthony Russo, the filmmakers brought Portman in to do “a little bit of voice-over when she’s talking in the distance, that’s it.”

I suppose that if she wanted to, Portman could’ve given the Russos a firm “no” on even doing voice-work, but she was game enough to return to the MCU for that brief bit of voice acting. Portman is a gifted actress, but she always seemed ill at ease in the Thor films. It didn’t help that her character was woefully underwritten, and not very interesting. With all this in mind, it’s not surprising that she wanted out of the MCU entirely. And ultimately, having Thor share a bigger moment with his mother in Endgame, rather than Jane, resulted in a more rewarding scene overall.

The post ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Brought Back One MCU Star with Recycled Footage appeared first on /Film.

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‘The Twilight Zone’ Season 2 Ordered by CBS All Access

CBS All Access wants to journey even further into another dimension with Jordan Peele, so they’ve gone ahead and ordered a second season of Peele’s Twilight Zone reboot. Peele’s star-studded reimagining takes Rod Serling’s classic sci-fi series and adapts it for our own current, increasingly weird timeline. More on The Twilight Zone season 2 below.

THR has confirmed CBS All Access has ordered a second season  of The Twilight Zone from producers Jordan Peele and Simon Kinberg. “Jordan Peele and Simon Kinberg’s reimagining of The Twilight Zone is off to an amazing start on CBS All Access, driving the most viewers on its premiere day for an original series to date,” said CBS All Access executive vp of original content Julie McNamara. “Jordan, Simon, the creative team and cast have done a phenomenal job translating the series’ legacy of socially conscious storytelling for modern-day audiences. They are master storytellers, and we look forward to bringing fans further into The Twilight Zone with a second season.”

Like Netflix, CBS All Access doesn’t make its viewership numbers known, but if they’re ordering a second season, it’s safe to assume people are watching. The Twilight Zone reboot premiered this month, boasting an impressive lineup of actors including Adam Scott, Sanaa Lathan, Steven Yeun, Kumail Nanjiani, Greg Kinnear, Allison Tolman, John Cho, Tracy Morgan, Zazie Beetz, Taissa Farmiga, Chris O’Dowd, Seth Rogen, Rhea Seehorn, Jessica Williams and more.

I’ve seen a few lukewarm reactions to the series, with some feeling Peele and company lay the allegory and messaging on a little too thick. But here’s the thing: the original Twilight Zone wasn’t known for its subtlety. More often than not, Rod Serling was happy to hit the viewers over the head with a hammer at the end of an episode in order to get the point across. The new show is just following that path.

“One thing that we definitely landed on was Serling’s show is important. He is a master of parable. He’s a master of allegory. And what he did was he spoke to society through stories,” Peele said. “This is one of the most powerful weapons that people have against violence and hatred and all the awful things that this world can bring and certainly all the awful things that we have now. There were some things that Serling was simply 50 years too early to talk about.”

No premiere date has been set yet for season 2, but that’s not surprising, since season 1 is still in the process of airing.

The post ‘The Twilight Zone’ Season 2 Ordered by CBS All Access appeared first on /Film.

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Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights Unleashing Universal Monster-Themed Attractions This Year

Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights is bringing its classic Universal Monsters (sorry, Dark Universe) to life with a new maze inspired by the 1943 film Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, and a new haunted house attraction, too. The maze will take the elements of the classic movie, and update them for the 21st century – whatever that means. Maybe the Wolf Man will use SnapChat. Guests will also be “hunted” by other Universal Monsters, including that blood-sucking fiend Dracula, at a new Universal Monsters haunted house experience.

I’ve never been to Halloween Horror Nights, but if I was going to start attending, this would be the year to do it. I’m a big fan of the classic Universal Monsters, and this year’s event seems tailor-made for me. In a new Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man maze at Universal Studios Hollywood, “guests will follow in the footsteps of the Frankenstein Monster, lured by exotic music towards a nearby gypsy camp while desperately seeking sanctuary from a mob of angry villagers determined to destroy him. It is within the gypsy encampment that the Frankenstein Monster meets The Wolf Man and where the madness begins as guests are led along a path of destruction through the murky Moors, to a creepy cemetery and into the smoldering ruins of Castle Frankenstein and its icy cellars beneath.”

No snark here: that sounds cool as hell. If all that wasn’t enough to get you interested, legendary guitar-player Slash will compose an original score for the maze. Check out a brief teaser video below

Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man Maze

I don’t know how I feel about these extreme make-overs on the characters (you can’t beat the original make-up, folks), but still, all in all, this looks and sounds like a total blast.

Meanwhile, at Universal Orlando Resort, “guests will be hunted by every single grisly monster from the anthology, including Dracula, The Wolf Man and Frankenstein, in the all-new experience, “Universal Monsters.” Each sinister environment will bleed from one to the next as guests press through the darkened realms of horrifying creatures. Guests will face bloody terrors in Dracula’s castle and flee from what is behind the cryptic howls of the grim forest. They’ll run from the horrifying manmade monster within Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory, and fall prey to an ancient Egyptian curse as they are pursued by the evil Mummy. Guests will try to escape the mysterious Creature lurking in the Black Lagoon, or become victims of other horrors waiting in the shadows. ” There’s a teaser for that, too.

Universal Monsters House

That sounds even cooler than the maze. Maybe I’ll dip into my savings account and take a trip to both of these. Just kidding! I don’t have a savings account. But if you’re lucky enough to attend either (or both!) of these, Halloween Horror Nights begins Friday, September 6 in Orlando and on Friday, September 13 in Hollywood.

The post Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights Unleashing Universal Monster-Themed Attractions This Year appeared first on /Film.

from /Film http://bit.ly/2VxU5ao

‘Rugrats’ Movie Hires ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ Sequels Director David Bowers to Watch the CG Babies

Hey, remember last summer when Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon announced that they were working on a new Rugrats movie? But instead of being another animated take on the mischievous, precocious babies who started as a NickToon back in 1991, this new feature film adaptation was said to be a hybrid of live-action and computer animation used to bring the babies to life. Apparently no one at Paramount or Nickelodeon has realized what a horrifying idea this is, because the project now has a director.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the live-action Rugrats movie director will be David Bowers. The filmmaker previously helmed the Diary of a Wimpy Kid sequels Rodrick Rules, Dog Days, and The Long Haul.

The live-action Rugrats movie hasn’t revealed much in the way of details about the production. All we know as of now is the script comes from David Goodman, who has a history with Family Guy. Meanwhile, Bowers has experience with both animation and live-action, having started off as an animator who co-directed Flushed Away and Astro Boy before jumping into live-action with the aforementioned Diary of a Wimpy Kid sequels. However, none of those movies inspire much hope that the Rugrats movie will actually be good.

The original Rugrats animated series ran from 1991 to the early 2000s, and it definitely changed significantly in its later years, losing some of the homemade charm the first few seasons had. The show follows Tommy Pickles, Chuckie Finster, Phil and Lil DeVille as a group of baby buddies who talked amongst themselves and went on adventures when the adults weren’t looking. But sometimes their adventures were made a little more challenging thanks to Angelica Pickles, Tommy’s three-year old cousin.

As the show went on, new characters like Tommy’s little brother Dil, his neighbor Susie, and Chuckie’s step-sister Kimi Finster became a big part of the show. But it’s hard to say how many of the show’s core characters will be brought to the big screen for the movie. But here’s how Funny or Die imagined what a live-action Rugrats movie might have looked like:

What we do know about the Rugrats movie is that computer animation will be used to bring the babies to life. We’ve seen how digital effects have been used to create anything and everything and make it look lifelife, but there’s something about the thought of computer animated babies that sounds creepy as hell. It makes sense from a production standpoint because wrangling that many babies on set would be a nightmare, but I don’t see this going very well, especially for those nostalgic for the original NickToon and the theatrical movies that followed it.

Rugrats was recently pushed back to a January 29, 2021 release date.

The post ‘Rugrats’ Movie Hires ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ Sequels Director David Bowers to Watch the CG Babies appeared first on /Film.

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Stan Lee’s Final Cameo in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Explained by the Russo Brothers

Avengers: Endgame brings about the end of an era for the Marvel Cinematic Universe that started with Iron Man in 2008. But Stan Lee‘s passing in 2018 brought the end of an era that began all the way back in 1961. But fittingly, both eras are wrapped up in one final cameo from the comic book titan in Avengers: Endgame. The 22nd film in the MCU was the site of Stan Lee’s final cameo, directors Anthony and Joe Russo confirmed, putting to bed rumors that he had shot footage for this summer’s upcoming Spider-Man: Far From Home. With the release of the record-shattering film, Russo brothers explained what went into the Stan Lee Avengers Endgame cameo, and why it played out like it did.

Spoilers for Avengers: Endgame below.

Before his death at 95 last November, Stan Lee shot several cameos that would keep the comic book titan alive in our minds long after he passed. But only Avengers: Endgame would keep him young forever.

Lee appears during the sequence at the 1970s S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, where Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) have arrived in the midst of their time heist to get one more chance at grabbing the Tesseract. While they are scrambling to not get caught, Lee zooms by in white muscle car, with a beautiful lady by his side and a groovy bumper sticker on the back declaring “‘Nuff said.” It was one of Lee’s catchphrases from his messages to readers of Marvel Comics.

It’s a hilarious and lighthearted cameo that comes complete with Steppenwolf’s “Hey Lawdy Mama” blaring and a de-aging effect that takes Lee back to his ’70s appearance. “It seemed like fun when we originally had the idea, before Stan passed,” Joe Russo told Entertainment Weekly. “Oh, what did Stan look like in the ’70s?” Luckily, with Lee’s glorious mustache and flowing hair, it wasn’t too difficult for the Russo brothers to cast him as a free-loving hippie, Russo added:

“It’s sort of the hippie era, and Stan’s cameoing as a hippie and it’s the free-love era. He’s saying, ‘Make love, not war!'”

Though most fans known Lee now as an amiable white-haired man, it takes no time at all to recognize Lee beneath the shiny de-aging effects, which have improved tremendously since Marvel first began testing them out in Ant-Man. Lee looks inarguably like himself, and having a blast with it. It gives a sweet finality to the cameo, which Joe and Anthony are still shocked they got to feature in their film.

“It’s the last Stan Lee cameo that made it to film,” Joe said to EW.

The post Stan Lee’s Final Cameo in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Explained by the Russo Brothers appeared first on /Film.

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‘Almost Famous’ Musical Will Premiere in San Diego This Fall

Cameron Crowe‘s Almost Famous will jump from screen to stage this fall, as an Almost Famous musical heads to San Diego. Based on Crowe’s acclaimed 2000 film about a teen journalist on assignment with an up-and-coming rock band, the new musical will feature music by Tom Kitt, with lyrics by Kitt and Crowe. More on Almost Famous: The Musical below.

Almost Famous

It’s been almost 20 years since Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous enchanted everyone (except me), and now the rock drama is headed to the stage. The film, based on Crowe’s real-life experiences, is set in 1973, and “chronicles the funny and often poignant coming of age of 15-year-old William, an unabashed music fan who is inspired by the seminal bands of the time. When his love of music lands him an assignment from Rolling Stone magazine to interview the up-and-coming band Stillwater — fronted by lead guitar Russell Hammond and lead singer Jeff Bebe William embarks on an eye-opening journey with the band’s tour, despite the objections of his protective mother.” The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, and won Crowe a Best Original Screenplay Oscar.

A potential stage musical adaptation was announced last year, and now, we have official word that Almost Famous: The Musical will debut on September 13 at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre. The official opening night will then take place on September 27, with the musical running at the Old Globe until October 20. “It’s all so San Diego to me, the whole experience,” Crowe said in an interview about the project. “So when the play started to become a reality, and the conversation came up — like, ‘Where would you want to put up the play and learn from it? There’s this place, there’s this place, there’s the Old Globe’ — I’m like, ‘The Old Globe!'”

Crowe confirmed that Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer”, which plays a big part in the movie, will be featured in the musical. But he’s tight-lipped regarding the make-up of the rest of the music: “You know what, I’m going to keep that slightly mysterious for you right now. But it’s our favorite thing in the world — what that musical stew will be.”

“There was no reason to really revisit the story except if it was a continuation of the same kind of love letter to music and San Diego and community and all that stuff,” Crowe added. “The breakthrough was making sure it was as personal as the movie. Because it’s a personal story.”

Crowe wrote lyrics for the new musical with Tom Kitt, with Kitt also composing the music. Kitt has a background in turning films into musicals: he also wrote music for adaptations of High Fidelity, Freaky Friday, Dave, and Bring It On (which also featured music from Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda).

The Almost Famous musical world premiere is happening this Fall in San Diego. https://t.co/QIQtHgpdbb pic.twitter.com/9uo67kPMQI

— Cameron Crowe (@CameronCrowe) April 27, 2019

The post ‘Almost Famous’ Musical Will Premiere in San Diego This Fall appeared first on /Film.

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Alternate ‘Endgame’ Storylines Revealed by ‘Avengers’ Screenwriters

Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely sat down with the New York Times for an incredibly detailed interview delving into the epic conclusion to the Infinity Saga. During the interview, Markus and McFeely detail several alternate Endgame storylines that they kicked around before arriving at what happens in the final film. Major spoilers follow.

Before and After the Snap

One of the biggest problems Markus and McFeely say they ran into in crafting Infinity War and Endgame was determining just when to have Thanos snap away half the universe (and half the MCU characters) – and then when to bring everyone back. “We realized fairly early on that if we didn’t do it at the end of the first movie, the first movie wasn’t going to have an end,” Markus says. “And if we did it too early in the first movie, it would be a bit of an anticlimax after you’ve killed half the universe to have them stumbling around for half an hour.”

McFeely then adds that while the original Avengers – Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye – survive the Snap, Endgame couldn’t bring other characters, like Black Panther or Doctor Strange, back too soon. “If you were a big fan of [those other characters], you’re only going to get a little brief window on them,” says McFeely. “It can’t be all things to all people.”

Fat Thor, Smart Hulk, Murderous Hawkeye

Our heroes go through many changes by the time we get to Endgame. Thor gains a significant amount of weight from chugging beer; Bruce Banner embraces his Hulk-ness, but becomes a smart (and oddly handsome) Hulk; and Hawkeye decides to straight-up murder people. McFeely and Markus say they started keeping a “master document” while Civil War was shooting, full of changes they had in mind for certain characters.

They originally planned for Thor’s arc in Endgame to be a “mission of vengeance.” But they realized that was similar to Thor’s arc in Infinity War. So instead they decided to explore what would happen if Thor just gave up.

As for Banner, the screenwriters first considered having the character become Smart Hulk in Infinity War. “It was a lot of fun, but it came at the wrong moment,” says Markus. “It was an up, right when everyone else was down.”

“It happened in Wakanda,” McFeely confirms. “His arc was designed like, I’m not getting along with the Hulk, the Hulk won’t come out. And then they compromise and become Smart Hulk.” This scene was even shot, but ultimately scrapped.

When they moved the Smart Hulk concept to Endgame, they toyed with the idea of having Banner in a lab, gene-splicing, but instead opted to “smash right into it”, and introduce Smart Hulk chowing down on pancakes at a diner.

And as for Hawkeye’s switch to cold-blooded killer, McFeely says: “He’s a good example of people who had much stronger stories after the Snap. What was the story to tell with Hawkeye in the first movie that was different than anybody else’s? Leaving his family to go fight again? Yeah, he did that in Civil War. The hope is that he’s killing bad people.” They originally had Endgame‘s haunting opening scene, where Hawkeye’s family disappears because of the Snap, at the end of Infinity War, but realized that since Hawkeye hadn’t been in the movie at all before then, it might seem out of place.

Black Widow’s Death

There’s a big, dramatic moment in Endgame where Hawkeye and Black Widow have to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to score the Soul Stone – one of them has to die. The two have a brief fight, with each wanting to sacrifice themselves. Ultimately, it’s Widow who kills herself, much to Hawkeye’s horror. Markus and McFeely confirm that at one point, they did have a draft where it was Hawkeye who died instead.

After some consideration, they changed it. “Her journey, in our minds, had come to an end if she could get the Avengers back,” McFeely says. “She comes from such an abusive, terrible, mind-control background, so when she gets to Vormir and she has a chance to get the family back, that’s a thing she would trade for.”

Time Travel

After the devastating conclusion of Infinity War, many fans theorized that time travel would play a part in Endgame, and that the Time Stone would be involved. That was half right – time travel does take place, but via the Quantum Realm. However, the writers confirm that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige was the one who came up with the time travel plotline, and suggested the Time Stone’s involvement. As the story evolved, it was the Quantum Realm that became the key to moving the characters through time.

The Avengers move to different movies in the franchise, including the first Avengers movie. But that wasn’t always the case. “In the first draft, we didn’t go back to the [original] Avengers movie,” says McFeely. “We went back to Asgard. But there’s a moment in the M.C.U., if you’re paying very close attention, where the Aether is there and the Tesseract is in the vault. In that iteration, we were interested in Tony going to Asgard. He had a stealth suit, so he was invisible, and he fought Heimdall, who could see him.”

This lead to a long scene with Thor and Jane Foster (they don’t share any time at all in the final film). The scene on Morag, from the first Guardians of the Galaxy, was much more complicated as well – until the writers realized they could simplify things by simply punching Star-Lord in the face and knocking him out cold.

“There were entirely other trips taken,” Markus adds. “They went to the Triskelion at one point to get the [Tesseract], and then somebody was going to get into a car and drive to Doctor Strange’s house.”

Despite all this, the duo kept trying to avoid a return to the original Avengers film, because felt such a move would be too “pander-y.” Ultimately, though, it was co-director Joe Russo who said enough was enough, and that going back to the first Avengers movie made sense.

Cameos and Other Marvel Characters

Could the Netflix Marvel characters have made it into the big final Endgame battle? No. “We would have to introduce these five characters — or whatever many,” says McFeely. “We already are assuming people have seen a lot of the movies. Are we really going to assume they have bought a subscription to Netflix and watched those shows enough so that when they see them, they’re going to go ‘yay?'”

Markus adds: “It also screws up the timelines. You would have to assume that they all got snapped away, or otherwise they might have shown up earlier.”

Sorry, Netfilx Marvel heroes.

As for other cameos, the screenwriters confirm they wrote several alternates for a scene in which Robert Redford’s Alexander Pierce shows up, in case Redford wasn’t available. Those alternates included Nick Fury, and Maria Hill.

Beyond that, the duo say they also considered putting The Living Tribunal in Infinity War, during the Titan battle, but it proved to be too confusing for some people.

And what of the Fox characters – like X-Men and the Fantastic Four? Did Markus and McFeely have a draft where they showed up in the big final battle? Negative. McFeely says that at the time they wrote the script, the Disney-Fox deal wasn’t finalized, so they didn’t have the legal right to include those characters. And even if they did, it would’ve been rude to essentially reboot the X-Men before the final X-Men film – Dark Phoenix – opens.

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‘Leftover Women’ Review: A Touching Lens on Filial Piety and Singlehood in China [Tribeca]

34-year-old Qiu HuaMei wears a hopeful expression as she chats with a potential Mr. Right. She chats about the male chauvinism culture that lingers in her hometown. At first, he has an ear for her until he reveals that he is uncomfortable with the idea of a wife smarter than him. Her hopeful expression peels away to disappointment.

Directed by Shosh Shlam & Hilla Medalia, Leftover Women explores the lives of three Chinese women who live with being deemed shengnu, “Leftover Women,” a derogatory term reserved for unmarried women in or pass their late 20s: Qiu HuaMei the lawyer; 28-year-old Xu Min who works for a public radio station; and the 36-year-old Gai Qi, an assistant professor in Beijing. The three navigate marriage markets, matchmakers, government-sponsored dating festival, and parental tensions in their quest to find a potential spouse. With 30 million more men than women in China, gender imbalance prevails. Even the government sanctions comics that ridicule unmarried women as shameful outcasts.

Leftover Women investigates the intricacies of family expectations and the emotional toll of challenging those expectations. The network of the marriage market that enables the gender inequalities doesn’t accommodating Qui. Her insistence to a counselor that her potential husband must share the housework is considered unreasonable. She is told she has to certainly want children and no man would want her for being child-free. Xu is searching for her Mr. Right but her mother’s disapproving comments hinder her pursuit. Hers and Qui’s arc isn’t a search for Mr. Right as it is challenging their family’s impositions. Gai perhaps ends up with the least-rocky route when she marries her younger boyfriend. While she acknowledges her marriage inevitably has ties to the traditional mindset, it is all her choice rather than conformity. She doesn’t feel her independence became tangled in her marriage and her sacrifices were made on her own terms. Though unlike the other women’s arcs, Gai has the convenience of having the least heated confrontations through the documentary.

A sensitivity prevails whenever the camera fixates on the anguish and reactions on its subjects, be it the leading women or even their nagging family members. Much of the close-ups on Qui focuses on her tearing up, particularly as she engages in debates with her family. We witness a sisterly quarrel where Qui’s married sister insists that she is happier than her even while admitting that having children is a chore—in front of her child. Even through their demands, a dimensionality unfolds through their family’s societal worries, assumptions that women need a breadwinner to take care of them and desire to be appreciated for their parental sacrifices. The film encourages its viewer to feel the women’s resentment, not toward their family but toward the constraining culture that shaped their family’s beliefs. The film suggests it is just as worth empathizing with the reasons why their parents are stuck in patriarchal traditions as it is to challenge their oppressive nature.

Leftover Women admires the fortitude of the women forging their own destinies while reminding us that stigma can wound deeply and can’t be wholly conquered. Filial piety is entangled in the desire for independence as family expectations haunt the women’s decisions or indecisions. Through all the tears, the ending does provide hope that individuals can grow capable of seeing through the societal suffocation.

/Film Rating: 8 out of 10

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‘Boyz n the Hood’ Director John Singleton Dead at 51

John Singleton, the director behind Boyz n the Hood, Poetic Justice, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and more, has died at the age of 51. Singleton suffered a stroke earlier this month, and had reportedly been in a coma on life support ever since. Singleton’s most recent credit was the FX series Snowfall, which he created and produced.

Singleton made his feature directorial debut with 1991’s Boyz n the Hood, which resulted in the filmmaker becoming the first African American and youngest person to have ever been nominated for the Best Director Academy Award. “As a black man working in a business that didn’t necessarily have black people in it, I knew that I’d have to write and direct my own films,” Singleton said in a 2016 interview. “Coming from where I’m from, it was a challenge to to be taken seriously enough to get a chance to make a film and – to do what I so ambitiously wanted to do – I had to write it myself.”

Following Boyz n the Hood, Singleton directed the music video for “Remember the Time”, and then went on to helm the 1993 feature Poetic Justice, starring Janet Jackson. Other credits include Higher Learning (1995), Rosewood (1997), the remake of Shaft (2000) and Baby Boy (2001). As the 21st century progressed, Singleton began directing more action movies, including the Fast and the Furious sequel 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) and Four Brothers (2005). He also produced the indie drama Hustle and Flow. Singleton would go on to direct episodes of TV shows American Crime Story, Empire, Rebel and Snowfall, which he also created.

When asked what advice he’d offer to the next generation of filmmakers, Singleton said:

“Learn how to write your own material. If you can do that then you can control how it rolls out. You’ve got to be able to correct the blueprint of the film you want to make, otherwise someone else will and then it isn’t your own vision.”

In 2017, reporter Danielle Young accused Singleton of sexual harassment, claiming the filmmaker made inappropriate gestures and comments to her during an interview. Singleton declined to comment on the allegations when they surfaced.

On April 17 of this year, Singleton suffered a major stroke after checking into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The director had recently returned from Costa Rica, and was reportedly complaining of weakness in his legs at the time. On April 25, word came that Singleton was in a coma following the stroke. However, on April 27, Singleton’s daughter Cleopatra Singleton refuted this claim, stating: “My father is not in a coma…[we] do not have a concrete diagnosis, my dad is progressing every day … My father is breathing on his own. He is only medically sedated to keep his blood pressure low and allow the vessels in his brain to heal.”

Earlier today, FOX4 reported that Singleton’s family told film critic Shawn Edward the director had died. However, Singleton’s publicist soon reached out to publications saying Singleton was still on life support. Later in the day, Singleton’s family announced that they planned to take him off life support. Now, the Associated Press is reporting Singleton has died. Singleton was 51-years-old.

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