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“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Aesop probably wasn’t thinking about Hollywood press panels when he wrote that, but somehow, it fits perfectly. Because what we witnessed at the Jurassic World: Rebirth promo tour wasn’t rehearsed, wasn’t shiny; it was raw, instinctive decency. Scarlett Johansson, dressed in a sleek mini black dress, looked visibly uneasy as the panel began.

Sitting under harsh lights in an outfit designed more for visuals than comfort? Anyone would fidget. But instead of pretending, Johansson simply stood. And without a beat missed, her co-stars stood up too.

Jurassic World Rebirth cast’s silent stand for Scarlett Johansson’s comfort Scarlett Johansson in Jurassic World: Rebirth | Universal Pictures

We’ve been watching panels for years…sometimes with popcorn, sometimes with gritted teeth. But this moment at the Jurassic World Rebirth promotional panel? It was different. As Scarlett Johansson,...

In Larry David's 1998 comedy bomb "Sour Grapes," Richie Maxwell (Craig Bierko) is just finishing a vacation in Atlantic City with his cousin Evan (Steven Weber). Richie has nearly run out of money, having gambled his budget. He's down to one quarter. On the way out of a casino, he asks Evan for 50 additional cents so he can throw it into a 75-cent slot machine. Evan agrees. A single pull on the machine wins Richie $436,000. This immediately leads to a feature-long argument over who has the legal and moral right to the winnings. Richie was both the one who decided to gamble the money and the one who pulled the handle, but Evan was the one who loaned him the quarters to make it possible. Evan argues that he is at least owed two-thirds of the jackpot.

This leads to a series of increasingly bleak scenarios that prove how horridly desperate both men are.

This September, Chainsaw Manfans are being gifted the release of Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc. While the manga arc that it's adapting, the Bomb Girl Arc, isn't very long, it's packed with important, emotional moments that are foundational for the series. As much as longtime readers are looking forward to seeing these moments brought to life, anime-only fans will experience them well, and will do so for the first time.

The Bomb Girl Arc is one of the best parts of Chainsaw Man, and Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc needs to include all its most important details. Especially for the sake of anime-only fans, everything needs to be presented perfectly, or else viewers could be left with misunderstandings of Denji, Reze, Aki, Angel, and Makima, and of the story. The biggest source of Chainsaw Man's popularity may be its gorgeously animated, bloody and gory action,...

I have to disagree with Greek storyteller Aesop in his warning that it is possible to have too much of a good thing as someone who’s revelled in covering Sam Baron’s trilogy of Amit Shah tragicomedies. These were all written and directed by Baron so I was most intrigued to see what he would do when realising comedy veterans Harry Kershaw and Chris Leask’s script Office Royale. Think Battle Royale but within the walls of Peep Show with pangs of romance and it’s still funnier than you’re imagining. Working with an assembly of brilliant British actors and a trusted crew Baron doesn’t disappoint and brings this acerbic, biting script to life. As it premieres today on Dn, we chat about the daunting prospect of having so many characters to track at the same time, how he created a rough and ready aesthetic for the camerawork,...

The Yellowjackets finally have company—and it’s a crossbow-wielding Joel McHale. For three seasons, Showtime’s cannibalistic soccer team has ruled the Canadian wilderness without interruption. No one has stumbled upon their crash site, no outsider has dared intrude. That changes in Season 3, Episode 6, “Croak,” when the show momentarily shifts perspective from its teenage survivors to three outsiders who—if history is any indication—won’t last long.

After months of speculation and a heavy presence in promotional material, Joel McHale made his Yellowjackets debut as Kodiak, a no-nonsense wilderness guide leading scientists Hannah and Edwin on an expedition to record the Arctic Banshee Frog’s rare mating event. Kodi—for short—exudes a strange reverence for the woods and a casual approach to danger. Burly, chain-smoking, and wielding a crossbow with Bruce Willis-style efficiency, he’s a far cry from Jeff Winger’s smarmy charm on Community...

This article contains spoilers for Jojo's Bizzare Adventure Part 8.

Jojo's Bizzare Adventure tells a generation-spanning tale of good versus evil. But, at the end of Part 6: Stone Ocean, the universe underwent a whole reboot. The entire cast was changed, and so too was the setting, timeline, and narrative philosophy of author Hirohiko Araki, who was now more interested in even more experimental storytelling. This new Jojo's Bizarre Adventure universe featured a story titled Jojolion.

This new continuity would receive its own Josuke Higashikata, a man with retrograde amnesia who tries to uncover who he is in the town of Morioh. Reflecting Part 4, Part 8 acts as another mystery as a dark secret in Morioh begins to be uncovered. Like in previous parts, Part 8 featured a cast of new Stands, which now reflect more of the humanoid appearance the series is known for than Part 7's more bizarre looks.

Milagroman...

The characters of One Piece often have puns and references for names. It isn’t exactly subtle when the entire Charlotte Family is named after sweets, baked treats, and the methods of making them. Some references, however, are much more nuanced.

Most characters are references to real-life pirates, the most obvious being Blackbeard. Some are nods to legends and mythologies that wouldn’t be recognizable if you aren’t familiar with them or the language. Eiichiro Oda employs this for an underrated Straw Hat Pirate.

Usopp’s introduction in One Piece. [Credit: Toei Animation]

Considering how much the word is used in anime if you watch the original Japanese dubbing, it’s shocking that One Piece fans didn’t know Usopp’s name was a pun for the Japanese word for “Lies,” “Uso.”

The introduction of Usopp in Syrup Village told us several things about him. He’s a very convincing...

For as long as I can remember, fairy tales have been an integral part of storytelling in animation. In my youth, I remember Disney princesses and nightmarish monsters bringing new twists on the stories of Grimm, Andersen, Aesop, Carroll, and more to life with vibrant colors, engaging characters, and endless amounts of imagination. As Grandfather Time traversed the timeline, the tradition of reimagining cautionary tales endured, bringing characters like Alice, Aurora, Pinocchio, Rapunzel, and Saoirse to screens. Today, fairy tales feel as if they’re few and far between. So, it’s fitting to see Vicky Jensen, the director of Shrek, a film that invites many characters to join the adventure, bringing the genre back to form with Skydance Animation‘s enchanting new film Spellbound.

JoBlo recently attended a sneak peek at Spellbound, where several of the project’s filmmakers shared their insight and passion for Skydance Animation’s latest foray into a fairytale kingdom.

You probably know someone like David: early 40s, has a steady job (selling internet ads), loves his wife and toddler son. He’s on meds but still anxiety-ridden, somehow seems both highly observant and perpetually distracted. Takes the responsibility of adulthood seriously. Very seriously. Maybe you’re related to that person. Maybe you are that person.

And you almost assuredly know someone like Benji: also early 40s, but no one seems to have told him he’s supposed to have grown up by now. The sort of person who can...

The BFI London Film Festival is set to unveil a diverse slate of promising U.K. features at its fifth annual Works-in-Progress Showcase, offering a glimpse into the future of British cinema.

Nine projects, ranging from gritty documentaries to offbeat comedies, will be presented to industry professionals on Oct. 12 at London’s Picturehouse Central. The lineup includes “Be of Good Behaviour” from directors Giulio Gobbetti and Jan Stöckel, following two ex-prisoners navigating life after incarceration. Richard Bracewell’s “Chicken Town” tells the story of a young man’s return to his hometown after serving time for a crime he didn’t commit.

Sarah Elizabeth Drummond’s documentary “Don’t Say Gay” explores the impact of homophobic law Section 28 in 1980s Britain, while Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor’s “Dreamers” presents a love story set in a removal center. Felipe Bustos Sierra’s “Everybody to Kenmure Street” documents a community’s response to an immigration raid in Glasgow.

According to tradition, debutante balls are designed to introduce young ladies to polite society. But in Australian comedy star Rebel Wilson’s rowdy directorial debut, “The Deb,” there isn’t really anything that resembles “polite society.” Wilson’s characters run the gamut from uncouth to in-your-face offensive — none more than the tacky small-town beautician Wilson embodies in a brash, John Waters-esque musical satire, situated where overzealous progressive values meet old-school pageantry at its most patriarchal.

It’s unfortunate that the film’s Toronto Film Festival closing-night premiere is overshadowed by legal disputes between Wilson and three of her producers, since “The Deb” delivers where it counts. The project pokes fun at all parties while rewriting the codes of teenage romance for the 21st century. Right out of the gate, it’s “Hairspray” meets “High School Musical,” as the elaborately choreographed, radio-inappropriate opening number, “Fml,” sets the tone for all that follows.

Quick Links The Rise and Fall of Universal's Dark Universe Movies Explained How Universal Epic Universe is Reviving the Universal Monsters How Epic Universe is Redeeming the Dark Universe The "Dark Universe" title has induced confusion about Universal's cinematic franchise. Recently, the Universal Monsters have a modern makeover and a mythology to match. Universal Epic Universe is delivering the reboot fans always wanted, but never on the big screen.

Rebooting a classic franchise is always controversial, but Universal is reanimating its classic characters in the best way possible. The Universal Monsters paved the way for modern horror cinema, uniting enthusiasts for almost a century. Initially the subjects of novels and films, Universal's monsters evolved into modern mythology, as recognizable as any fairy tale, legend, or fable. While classic silver screen selections like The Bride of Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Wolf Man are revered alongside the works of Shakespeare, Aesop,...

Fans of the original were ecstatic when Supergiant Games announced Hades 2, and rightfully so. The isometric roguelike quickly climbed the charts after release, becoming one of the best games to release in 2020.

With all the critical and community appeal of the game, along with several accolades, a sequel was only a matter of time. The Greek mythology setting is represented masterfully, and we have the narrator setting the stage for what becomes an intense fight for survival. But who is the narrator? Well, that question may have been answered by the sequel!

Hades 2 Technical Test Reveals Our Beloved Narrator Move over Zagreus; Melinoë is now in charge.

Greek history and mythology have had several prominent writers and speakers. Aesop, Herodotus, and Aristotle are just a few of the numerous that come to mind when one is talking about epics from Greek mythology. However, one stands out among the rest, and...

Alberto Corredor's Baghead is the most recent example of "well, that would have been better as a short film." Mainly because, well, it is better as a short film. Corredor adapts the truncated version of Baghead written by Lorcan Reilly into the scattershot feature now on Shudder. New screenwriters Christina Pamies and Bryce McGuire struggle to extend the fifteen-minute original into an engaging hour and a half, especially during its bloated second act. Corredor crisply accentuates the mildewy and eerie atmosphere that saturates an outdated basement architecture, but by the end, falls victim to the usual follies that come with shorts-turned-features unable to sustain their big-screen treatments.

The Witcher star Freya Allan plays Iris Lark, a young woman who inherits her dad's rickety drinking establishment, The Queen's Head. With nowhere else to live, she signs her name on the deed — but her decision comes at a price. During Iris' first night as owner,...

Warning! Potential spoilers for Damsel.

Damsel is the latest addition to the fairytale retelling genre, focusing on an empowered princess facing a dragon and dark motives. Films like The Princess Bride, Ever After, and Ella Enchanted twist classic fairy tales with added complexity and humor for diverse audiences. Damsel and Pan's Labyrinth share darker tones and themes, showcasing protagonists facing unique challenges with determination and courage.

Netflix's new film Damsel is the latest addition to the fairytale retelling genre, with similar movies coming before it. The story follows Princess Elodie (Millie Bobby Brown) as she prepares to be married to Prince Henry (Nick Robinson) in classic fairytale fashion. However, when she is instead thrown into a cave with a dragon, she must use everything at her disposal to save herself as Queen Isabelle's (Robin Wright) true motives are revealed.

Many films in this genre focus on premises like...

The book Chicken Run: Hatching the Movie by Brian Sibley chronicles the ups and downs of Aardman Animation embarking on its first feature film. It’s an incredibly trying process, but also one the Aardman artists found creatively stimulating. The final pages of the book depicted Chicken Run as being in the rearview mirror, and the folks at Aardman contemplating the future. This studio was turning its attention to a new film, called Tortoise vs. Hare. A riff on the Aesop’s Fable The Tortoise and the Hare, it would have been realized as a mockumentary and offered a fresh new take on an old story.

Life hasn't changed much for "Bones" since it wrapped up in 2017. Throughout its 12-season run on Fox, Hart Hanson's procedural was never a ratings monster. But while other shows were dominating water cooler conversations, "Bones" was amassing a respectably sized and, just as importantly, loyal audience that only really began to peter off during its final seasons. By that point, the television landscape had changed so dramatically since it premiered in 2005, it was a miracle the show was even going at all! Similarly, while "Suits" has gained a surprisingly massive second wind on streaming in 2023, "Bones" has quietly kept puttering along at a steady pace as people either revisit the show or stream it for the first time.

Hanson has spoken on multiple occasions about the ways Fox tried to kill "Bones" early on during its tenure, frequently moving it to a different spot on the network's schedule with little to no advance notice.

Anya Chalotra of The Witcher, Chloe Cherry of Euphoria, and Ralph Ineson of The Witch star in the dark comedy Two Neighbors, which was able to secure a SAG interim agreement to film while the actors strike was still going on and wrapped production back in September. Although the story is set in New York, filming took place in the UK.

Marking the feature directorial debut of “multi-disciplinary artist” Ondine Viñao, who has exhibited video projects in the US and abroad, Two Neighbors was inspired by Aesop’s fable Avaricious and Envious. This take on the story shows what happens when Becky (Chalotra), an ambitious but struggling writer, is overcome by envy and spite when she meets Stacy (Cherry), a beautiful but insatiable socialite, at a lavish party hosted by Stacy’s father at their country estate. The evening descends slowly into chaos, and the girls’ lives are forever transformed...

Aesop Rock’s Integrated Tech Solutions may be a sci-fi concept album, beginning with an opening interlude about a company promising “lifestyle and industry-specific explanations designed to curate a desired multi-experience,” but it’s uncommonly direct about being inspired by the rapper’s everyday life. Rather than following similarly themed albums by the likes of hip-hop supergroup Deltron 3030, Aesop Rock’s latest locates its own lane, concerned with life experiences, both positive and negative, that take place offline.

Aesop reins in his tendencies toward word salad throughout Integrated Tech Solutions. Songs like “Aggressive Seven” and “Mindful Solutionism” are upfront about their subject matter without veering into over-explanation. The former track, for instance, confronts mental illness, while the jazzy “By the River” finds Aesop bidding farewell to a dead friend.

Showing off the Aesop’s wide range of influences, the album’s lyrics casually run through multiple frames of reference, from...

Usopp is a character from the popular Japanese manga and anime One Piece by Eiichiro Oda. He is the sniper of the Straw Hat Pirates and initially joins the crew with the reputation of a liar and a coward, known for telling tall tales and running away from danger. However, as the series progresses, some of these tall tales actually come true.

Usopp proves himself to be a valuable member of the crew, using his sharpshooting skills and creativity to help them in battles against powerful enemies. What really makes his character shine is his great courage and loyalty, especially when it comes to protecting his friends. Despite his flaws and insecurities, Usopp's determination to become a brave warrior of the sea makes him a beloved character among fans of the series.

Updated on October 5, 2023 by Kennedy King: The Raid on Onigashima has finally drawn to a close, opening the...

Fairy tales go back hundreds of years, even thousands if you look at Aesop and his fables. Hans Christian Andersen was a major name due to his creation of works like "The Princess and the Pea" and "The Ugly Duckling," but the genre wouldn't be where it's at now without the Brothers Grimm. German siblings Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm changed history in the 19th century. They are the men behind Cinderella, Show White, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel, and so many more.

The DC Extended Universe will soon be rebooted, but in its decade-long lifespan, it has adapted a wide selection of DC Comics characters, including ten villains who are only referenced rather than shown. Following the pop culture-redefining success of Marvel’s The Avengers, Warner Bros. and DC initiated their own shared universe with 2013’s Man of Steel, whose focus on Superman’s origin did not prevent it from alluding to a larger DC Universe surrounding Clark Kent. By the Dceu’s final installments before James Gunn and Peter Safran’s partial reboot, the franchise has acknowledged or at least referenced ten supervillains without visually depicting them.

In many cases, these tangential supervillains of the old Dceu are acknowledged via easter eggs or throwaway lines of dialogue, demonstrating how much of the DC Comics universe is part of the film franchise. In other cases, the villains themselves debut in non-visual mediums,...

The Twilight Zone has seen multiple reboots in the sixty-plus years since the classic original series made its mark. The formula has proven elusive at best, with most subsequent series enduring unremarkable runs and reasonably swift cancelations. Even Rod Serling struggled to make lightning strike a second time, with his subsequent Night Gallery missing the magic more often than not.

At least one reboot, however, deserves more credit than it gets. Though plagued by low ratings and a hit-or-miss record, the 1980s series also scored its share of hidden gems. Armed with a surprisingly talented team of writers and directors, it delivered often enough to make tuning in worthwhile. The overall quality can't match the original, but a good dozen or so rank alongside Serling's best and are worth seeking out for Twilight Zone fans.

Related: How The Twilight Zone's Horrific Accident Influenced a Key Clue Scene

The '...

Christopher Plummer’s final performance is coming to digital release! According to Variety, the Oscar-winning actor will be playing Rizzo in the upcoming animated epic, Heroes of the Golden Mask. The trailer and description can be viewed below.

Charlie, a wise-cracking, homeless, American orphan is magically transported to the ancient Chinese kingdom of Sanxingdui, where a colorful team of superheroes need his help to defend the city from a brutal conqueror. Charlie joins the heroes, and secretly schemes to steal the priceless golden masks that grant them their powers.

Heroes of the Golden Mask is directed by Sean O’Reilly, who will also be voicing the role of Thurman. Joining O’Reilly and Plummer are Ron Perlman (Hellboy) as Kunyi, Patton Oswalt (Ratatouille) as Aesop, Natasha Liu Bordizzo (Wish Dragon) as Li, Byron Mann (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Jiahao, Keifer O’Reilly(The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers) as Charlie, and Osric Chau...

One Piece is filled with a lot of weird things — weird clothes, weird laughs, weird people — but especially weird names. The topic of "weirdest names" comes up on Reddit every few years, but with the number of characters that move in and out of the One Piece universe, the answer changes every time.

Related: 10 Weird One Piece Animals Used As Steeds

It's no secret that creator Eiichiro Oda takes inspiration for One Piece from all over the world. From wrestlers to botany to mythology, the global influences that go into One Piece make it an amalgam of cultural references. While some names are pulled from books, others are pulled from history. Some names are cool, mysterious, or enticing. Some are just plain odd.

This article contains spoilers for those who have not read up to One Piece Chapter 1044, released March 28, 2022 or those who only watch the One Piece anime.

Koala...

The supernatural film genre has changed its definition over time. Despite those changes, the research and backstory behind every film have always been rooted in lore and cultural urban legends. Books like the Brothers Grimm and Aesop's fables made their way into the very fabric of many films. In recent years, many supernatural films have seen an increase in the use of horror-based stories like vampires, aliens, and werewolves.

Warning: Spoilers for Chainsaw Man episode 12 and Chainsaw Man chapters 42A bonus scene in the season one finale of the Chainsaw Man anime includes a quote that references one of the worst moments in the original manga.

After Chainsaw Man season one's ending credits, the voice of a currently unknown character to anime-only viewers asks Denji if he would rather be the country mouse or the city mouse. The moment means nothing to those who haven't read the manga, but for those who have and who enjoy the series' usually strong utilization of metaphors undoubtedly were left with a bad taste in their mouth at the end of the episode.

Related: Best Manga Couples of 2022

This moment is referencing two points in the manga where Denji is asked the same question by Reze and Aki is asked by the Angel Devil. These are all references to the classic Aesop's...

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When Aesop Aquarian returned from acting class to discover an acquaintance dead of a gunshot wound in his spare room, he let it go.

Perhaps it had been a game of Russian roulette, or a suicide. At least these were the theories offered to him by his new Venice Beach housemates, members of what the public would in time call the Manson Family.

Later, when Aesop’s beloved custom Volkswagen camper van was mysteriously torched after he resettled with the group on their compound 30 miles north at the Spahn Movie Ranch, he accepted it. Maybe it was just an accident. Mercury could well have been in retrograde.

But Aesop finally bugged out, hitchhiking back to Los Angeles before dawn, after it was proposed he turn assassin in the run-up to Charlie Manson’s trial. “There was no humor in the suggestion,” explained Aesop,...

There’s a mixed bag waiting for Disney fans with Volume 5 of the Disney Classic Short Films collection. On one hand you have the unforgettable The Wind in the Willows with the awesome J. Thaddeus Toad and a genuinely touching version of The Ugly Duckling. But then you have four more cartoons all on the older spectrum making it hard to say whether or not the younger ones in your life will be able to sit still. This volume has the highest concentration of older cartoons as well as a newer cartoon that most kids won’t really latch onto – so I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say that older children will get more out of this volume than the youngest ones.

The Wind in the Willows (1949)

Directed by James Algar & Jack Kinney, Written by Winston Hibler & Kenneth Grahame

God, what can really be said about this incredible classic.

Back in 2005, Nick Park and the folks at Aardman Animations won an Oscar for their work on Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. A year later, their follow-up film Flushed Away disappointed at the box office and prompted Dreamworks to sever their partnership. Since then we haven't heard much from the British studio, save for one new made-for-tv Wallace & Gromit adventure, but they did land a deal with Sony Pictures and now they're finally ready to tell us about some of projects they've got cooking. One of the films is a holiday-themed feature called Arthur Christmas, which "tackles the question of how Santa delivers all his presents in one night". Sarah Smith and Barry Cook (Mulan) will direct the movie, which will be computer animated, based on a script by Peter Baynham (Borat, Bruno). The other project, which I'm a bit more interested in, is a stop motion animated project called Pirates!