News

Directv will carry the new Rangers channel Rangers Sports Network for fans in five states.

The Texas Rangers are gone from FanDuel Sports Network airwaves, and they aren’t looking back. The MLB club left what was then called Bally Sports Southwest following the end of the 2024 season, and has since been working hard to ensure fans continue to have access to their games. On Thursday, the Rangers announced the creation of Rangers Sports Network, a new regional sports network that will carry their games for in-market viewers. Also on Thursday, the team made public its deal with Directv to offer the channel to its satellite and streaming customers.

Key Details: Directv customers will find Rangers Sports Network in the distributor’s Choice package. Customers in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and eastern New Mexico can get Rangers Sports Network on Directv. The Rangers will also stream games for in-market customers on the Victory+ streaming service.

Bridgerton season 2, episode 6, "The Choice", features the long-awaited wedding between Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran) but Anthony's feelings for someone else can't be subdued for long. "The Choice" comes right off Bridgerton season 2, episode 5, "An Unthinkable Fate", often regarded as one of the best episodes of Bridgerton ever, meaning a lot was riding on this season 2, episode 6. A new crop of characters in Bridgerton season 2 has raised the stakes for everyone, but particularly for Anthony.

Since meeting the Sharma's in the season 2 premiere, Anthony has been taken by Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley), the older half-sister to Edwina. However, Anthony ends up proposing to Edwina in season 2, episode 4, "Victory", because he specifically does not want to marry for love, seeing the heartbreak his father's death caused his mother. Instead, he wants someone to check all the boxes, a diamond as it were, which Edwina was named in the season premiere.

Pushpa 2 UK Box Office Update! ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Sukumar has done the impossible! In Indian history, there is one film that has surpassed Baahubali 2 in many arenas. The winning streak continues as Pushpa 2 is now the highest-grossing South film in UK/ Ireland. Scroll below for the latest overseas box office update!

Creates history in the UK

It is unreal to witness an Indian film enjoy a theatrical run for as many as six weeks, not only in the domestic but also overseas regions. As per Nishit Shaw, Allu Arjun has raked in £2.72K from 26 locations at the UK/ Ireland box office. The cumulative total now stands at £1.9 million gross.

Pushpa 2: The Rule is the ever South Indian film to have grossed over £1.9 million at the UK/ Ireland box office. It has surpassed Baahubali 2, which was earlier #1 film in the region with lifetime earnings of £1.82 million.

Trending Ennu Swantham...

Squid Game has been ousted from its no. 1 spot today despite its huge success. Squid Game season 2 was released on December 26, giving audiences another chance to see Seong Gi-hun play deadly children's games. The wait for the sophomore season of the series was lengthy, for the first season was released in 2021. Though the second season got a more mixed 63% rating among audiences, the viewersip for Squid Game season 2 has been incredibly strong, with the show amassing 126.2 million views after just 11 days on the platform.

As per Netflix, Squid Game has lost its spot as the no. 1 TV show in the U.S. today. Victory has instead been won by WWE Monday Night Raw, which is a live series that comes on weekly on Mondays.

More to come...

Source: Netflix...

Fredrik Lindgren, the original guitarist for influential Swedish death metal band Unleashed, among other acts including Terra Firma and Harms Way, has died at the age of 53.

Unleashed shared the news of their former guitarist’s passing on Facebook, writing, “Warriors!!! Sadly, the news have reached us that Fredrik Lindgren, lead guitar of Unleashed 1989-1995 has passed away. Fredrik was a huge part of the early history of the band. For this we are eternally grateful. See you in Valhalla brother!”

Singer Lord Chritus (aka Christian Lindersson) of the band Terra Firma also confirmed Lindgren’s death, stating, “In loving memory of Freddie Eugene 1971-2025. Numbed by the news of your passing, Fredrik my old friend. Hard to put emotions into words. Just hope you have found your peace as you deserve no less. You will not only be missed by me but many, I know this much. Thank you...

Ashton Kutcher’s name was drawn into the recent Diddy scandal due to his friendship with the disgraced hip-hop mogul. Kutcher and Sean Diddy Combs formed an unlikely friendship in the early 2000s when they were both hosting shows for MTV. They, along with Jamie Foxx, were a tight-knit group until Kutcher’s relationship with Demi Moore kept him away from this group. Despite drifting apart, Diddy once claimed that they were still friends.

Ashton Kutcher in a still from Two and a Half Men | Credits: CBS

Moore and Kutcher were once a hot couple in Hollywood. They met in 2003 and tied the knot in 2005. Their relationship lasted a decade before they went their separate ways in 2013. The couple had attended Diddy’s White Parties, but sources shared that Moore would’ve never allowed Kutcher to be involved in any compromising situations.

Ashton Kutcher stopped hanging out with Diddy after...

Spoiler Alert: This story gives away details of the second season of Netflix’s Squid Game.

Paul Potts used to sell cellphones at a British store called Carphone Warehouse before he won the first season of Britain’s Got Talent.

He is not someone you expect to be soundtracking a bloody game of Russian roulette in the second season of Netflix’s Squid Game.

But it is his version of Nessun Dorma, an aria from the final act of Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot – a song popularized by Luciano Pavarotti during the 1990 FIFA World Cup – that plays over the violent subplot in the first episode of the Korean drama series.

In the opening episode of the sophomore season, Lee Jung-Jae’s Gi-Hun is searching for The Salesman, played by Train to Busan star Gong Yoo, who works as a recruiter for the Squid Games, playing Ddakji with them to get them to...

Well, even if it was not evident to everyone during that past few years, in 2024 it became more than obvious. The Korean movie industry is in big trouble, suffering from a number of structural issues, including the transition of a number of talent to TV-dramas from cinema, which has essentially suffocated it on a number of levels, but mostly regarding scripts. This year, we had a hard time finding even 15 titles to fill the particular list, with the only glimmer of hope coming from the fact that a number of shorts of quality were released this year (again).

Not much more to say, here are the 15 Best Korean Movies of 2024. Some films may have premiered in 2023, but since they mostly circulated in 2024, we decided to include them.

15. Knitting My Heart by Oh Ji-hyeon

The way Oh implements deadpan humor is hilarious, with the face of Anu Heeyeun Shin being one of the main mediums,...

Coming Up On General Hospital

General Hospital spoilers and updates for the week of Monday, December 16-Friday, December 20 tease preventive measures, girlfriends deeply grieving, and ugly lawsuits!

Coming Up On General Hospital

Carly Spencer (Laura Wright) is determined to take preventive measures, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) deeply grieves, and an ugly lawsuit is brewing!

General Hospital Spoilers: Preventive Measures

After the shocking exposé at the Quartermaine Christmas party, Willow Corinthos (Katelyn MacMullen) went to the Quartermaine gatehouse along with Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros).

Nina knows that Wiley and Amelia Corinthos will be up for grabs, and told Willow this was war!

Based on past experience, Nina and Willow both know Michael Corinthos (Chad Duell) and Carly will fight for sole custody, so Nina wants Willow to take preventive measures of her own.

But as they have the kids bundled up and ready to go to Nina’s place, Carly is there with a preemptive strike!

If you’re not a fan of watching the men of the Grey family take emotional and physical beatings, you likely spent most of this week’s Outlander averting your eyes.

Both Lord John and William (yes, I know, not technically a Grey, but c’mon) spend the hour in a tormented state: William a victim of the knowledge that his entire life has kinda been a lie, Lord John a victim of Jamie’s fists. You all know I love me some James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, but both his actions and his words in Episode 12 are straight-up ugly.

In the not-publicly-released trailer for the pilot Doug Ellin hopes to sell, Kevin Connolly pursues an entertainment industry hustle alongside Kevin Dillon. At first glance, it looks like a reboot of Entourage, Ellin’s early-2000s show about a rising actor and his team that starred Connolly, Dillon and others. Then halfway through the trailer, Charlie Sheen shows up.

Connolly, playing a version of himself, needs a hit for his podcast studio. So he approaches Sheen, who is also playing a version of himself. “This could be an amazing opportunity for both of us,” fake Connolly tells fake Sheen. “It could be your get-out-of-jail-free card.”

Ellin has described this project, Ramble On, as being about second acts and redemption. Perhaps those themes are on Ellin’s mind 20 years after Entourage premiered on HBO. He has attempted other projects since then. But that was before the renewed attention Entourage seems to be getting,...

The domestic war between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie seems to have become more serious. Amidst their divorce proceedings, the two were also embroiled in a lawsuit regarding Jolie’s sale of her share of their winery which has also delved into their personal lives. However, Jolie seems to have scored a small victory in court this time.

Jolie also reportedly rubbed salt in the wound for Pitt when she showed up at the Annual Governors Awards Red Carpet with her son Knox. Jolie rarely makes public appearances with her children but this was reportedly an attempt at letting her kids choose their path. Pitt’s sources, however, mentioned that this was done to mess with the Fight Club star.

Was Angelina Jolie’s Public Appearence With Son a Jab at Brad Pitt? Brad Pitt in Wolfs | Credits: Apple TV+

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s court battles have gone...

Hunter x Hunter's chapter #409 was one of the series' most tense ones yet, making the upcoming chapter #410 that much more anticipated. Furthermore, the twist at the end of the previous chapter is one of the most surprising turn of events in the arc so far, and the explanation will definitely be interesting and game-changing. With the Morena and Borksen plotline soon coming to an end, fans can look forward to the series revisiting other interesting ones soon.

Written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi, and published in Weekly Shonen Jump, Hunter x Hunter is one of the grandest adventure manga and shonen, selling over 78 million copies. The series has been going on for more than 30 years due to the many hiatuses, and fortunately, the creator is back and better than ever to continue the exciting and complex seventh story arc; the Succession War arc. With the storyline now nearing its climax,...

Ever since the allegations of s*x trafficking and alleged s*xual assault were unearthed against Sean Combs, numerous scandals rose around him. The high-profile rapper and business mogul was finally arrested in September on federal charges but it seems like his lifestyle didn’t change a lot.

People may have thought Diddy would have a hard time adjusting to life behind the bars, but the I Need a Girl rapper has swiftly acquired an entourage. According to a viral speculation and a reporter’s special interview, the artist allegedly has no shortage of comfort and supporters even while being cut off from the privileges he was used to.

Diddy has no shortage of Yes-Men around him Sean Combs on The Wendy Williams Show | Credits: Fox & BET

Sean Combs, aka Diddy, went through a rough couple of months starting with the lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. After that,...

1. Film Review: Abiding Nowhere (2024) by Tsai Ming-liang

If art is putting an emotion into something you create to transfer that feeling on to its audience, then Tsai certainly achieves something with “Abiding Nowhere” (and the Walker series in general). Beyond slow cinema, this is positively static, as the camera, and indeed the cast, barely move. The slowness, the silence – apart from the background noise – the time allowed to fully contemplate, create a relaxing series of shots to absorb yourself into, feeling your heart rate slow and eyes sigh in a natural progression to sleep.

2. Film Review: Victory (2024) by Park Beom-su

The production also makes the most of its leading ladies’ dancing abilities, choreographing largely pleasing cheerleading sequences, even if more acrobatic sequences, whose absence is fairly explained within the script, could have been welcome. Park Jeong-hoon’s cinematography shies away from being flashy, instead satisfied in capturing the pastel colours...

Cheerleading may primarily be an American activity, but it has permeated its way into Asian territories, with Japan and Korea especially adapting it quite effectively into their sporting events. However, barring a few mostly failed Japanese productions, it hasn’t really been represented in Asian cinema quite as well as it has in its American counterpart.“Red Carpet” director Park Beom-su‘s latest, the 1999-set “Victory”, aims to change that.

Victory is screening at San Diego Asian Film Festival

Best friends Pil-sun and Mi-na love hip-hop dancing and are pretty good at it, but being in the small and remote town of Geoje holds them back. Their teachers want them to focus on their studies, even taking away their practise room, and their parents want them to stay in Geoje and quit thinking about Seoul. But when their school brings in exchange student Dong-hyun as the star striker for their terrible soccer team,...

As music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs faces 15 years to life in prison, he is still receiving support from his children. In fact, they might have taken a new measure to help him amid his legal troubles. However, an expert has recently discussed why this might backfire on the mogul.

Sean Combs Recently Celebrated His Birthday In The Detention Center

Diddy recently celebrated his 55th birthday while inside Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. While there, his family called to wish him a happy birthday, complete with a cake.

In the video, Combs’ youngest daughter, Love, can be heard singing, “Happy Birthday to Daddy,” for him before blowing out the candles. Combs could be heard talking to his kids, telling them he would see them in a few days.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs – YouTube

Their conversation was posted to Diddy’s own Instagram account. Notably, the post was captioned, “This made my day,...

It seems Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is learning the hard way that even vast riches can’t always secure freedom—at least not in his current situation. The music mogul, who has spent decades rising to the top of the entertainment world, is currently facing a fight much larger than any he’s encountered before.

Diddy in an episode of Hawaii Five-0 | Credits: CBS

With a career that spans music, fashion, and even the tech world, Diddy’s name has become synonymous with success. Yet, despite his multi-million-dollar empire, the 55-year-old hip-hop icon has found himself behind bars, fighting accusations that could change his life forever. The charges are severe: racketeering conspiracy, s*x trafficking, and more.

As the trial date in May 2025 inches closer, his legal team is once again seeking his release from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Diddy Pushes for Freedom Ahead of the 2025 Trial?

Sean Combs,...

The Young and the Restless (Y&r) spoilers document that Diane Abbott (Susan Walters) is trying to con Victor Newman (Eric Braeden).

Her anger is not faked, but the target is the Newman family rather than her supposedly estranged husband and only son.

Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) had what appeared to be a very public falling out with his wife. That followed the Abbott’s bitter break from their son, which became public knowledge.

Victor has big ears. He revels in the drama of his most bitter rivals, with Jack being his top foil and Diane Jenkins, as he disdainfully refers to her, ranking second.

The Young And The Restless Spoilers – Michael Baldwin Back In Good Graces

The only friend Diane has in Genoa City, Wisconsin, is Michael Baldwin (Christian Le Blanc). Victor is encouraging him to maintain contact with her to gather information.

However, Michael recently groveled to get back in Victor’s good graces.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Viktor Orbán were among the world leaders offering their early congratulations to Donald Trump in light of his presumed election win. Although the race had officially not been called when many leaders posted statements on social media, Trump was declared the winner early Wednesday morning.

Writing on X, Zelenskyy shared a lengthy tribute to Trump, noting that he had a “great meeting with President Trump back in September, when we discussed in detail the Ukraine-u.S. strategic partnership, the Victory Plan, and ways to put...

Donald Trump has hailed a new “golden age of America” after all but sealing a stunning victory over Kamala Harris in the U.S. presidential election — and now world leaders are reacting to his triumph.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who was known for taking a pragmatic approach to Trump in 2016, wrote that he was ready to work together with the incoming U.S. president.

Congratulations, President @realDonaldTrump. Ready to work together as we did for four years. With your convictions and mine. With respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) November 6, 2024

“I look forward to working with you in the years ahead,” added UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.”

Congratulations President-elect @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory.

I look forward to working with you in the years ahead.

Our odyssey through the work of Michael Caine reaches a grim nadir: the 1984 comedy Blame It On Rio. Brace yourselves, readers.

Michael Caine showed no sign of slowing down as he entered his third decade as a leading man. The 1980s would see him win his first Academy Award (Hannah and Her Sisters), tackle new genres such as horror (The Hand) and shark-based revenge movie (Jaws: The Revenge) whilst continuing to work with interesting new auteurs like Brian De Palma (Dressed to Kill) as well as old friends from classic Hollywood such as John Huston (Escape to Victory).

Film by film, I’ll be taking a look at Caine’s 1980s filmography to see what hidden gems I can unearth alongside the more familiar classics…

Spoilers for Blame it on Rio lay ahead…

Directed by:

Stanley Donen

Tagline:

This had multiple taglines, starting innocuous enough but I became increasingly uneasy as they went on…...

The Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff) has unveiled the line-up for its comeback 45th edition, taking place from November 13-22.

The world premiere of Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi’s Passing Dreams will open the festival, as part of a focus on Palestinian cinema.

Passing Dreams is a drama about a 12-year-old boy who embarks on a journey across Palestine, while chasing a carrier pigeon, convinced it has returned to its original owner.

The line-up includes three Palestinian feature documentaries competing for the best Arab film awards in the Horizons of Arab Cinema programme, and the best Palestinian film award.

Carol Mansour...

Warning! This post contains Spoilers for The Penguin episode 7The Penguin episode 7 ends by setting up a final confrontation between Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell) and Sofia Gigante (Cristin Milioti). In the penultimate episode before the new DC series' finale, significant truths are revealed, and major character deaths are featured before the credits roll. Likewise, key flashbacks reveal the dark truth about Oz's past and the events that shaped his future as a Gotham gangster seeking the throne.

As seen in The Penguin episode 6, Oz gets his brand-new Bliss operation up and running beneath Gotham itself, using the abandoned trolley systems and its multiple access points to move his product all over the city undetected. While Oz also gets the lights back on in Crown Point, Sofia Gigante and Salvatore Maroni (Clancy Brown) learn about Oz's mother, Francis (Deirdre O'Connell). Now, Francis has been taken by Sofia and major truths about...

General Hospital spoilers tease Robert Scorpio (Tristan Rogers) floored Sasha Gilmore Corbin (Sofia Mattsson) when he said the DNA test results proved they were father and daughter. In time, Sasha may be able to come to terms with this reality and embrace the fact that she finally knows who her dad is — and that he’s an upstanding man.

But right now, her heart is broken that she can’t be with Cody Bell (Josh Kelly), and that she’ll have to tell him the truth about the horrific week she’s had and why their relationship must come to an end.

But we have a sneaking suspicion this storyline is just kicking off versus actually ending. Robert wasn’t all that surprised when Sasha burst into his office touting he wasn’t her father, despite Holly Sutton’s (Emma Samms) claims. Could it be that he’s not? Is...

General Hospital (Gh) spoilers note that fans can feel as if Sam McCall’s end is nearing. Viewers know actress Kelly Monaco’s exit is imminent, and everyone is waiting for the final shoe to drop. The scenes Sam has had this week as she prepares to donate some of her liver to Lulu Spencer (Alexa Havins) have been emotional, to say the least.

While most characters are simply dropping by to either thank Sam for what she’s doing or check-in, fans have felt like these are all goodbye scenes – especially the one she shared with Damian Spinelli (Bradford Anderson) on the Tuesday, October 22 episode. The actress recently spoke out about breaking the script during one emotional ‘final’ Sam scene.

General Hospital Spoilers – The Symbol For Love

Gh spoilers note that Sam got prepped for Lulu’s transplant surgery on the Thursday, October 24 show. Her loved ones gathered to...

Set in 1999 in South Korea, Victory tells the story of Pil-sun, a high schooler with dreams of becoming a dancer in Seoul. Along with her misfit friends, Pil-sun finds herself drawn to the unconventional sport of cheerleading. Directed by Park Beom-su, the film follows the girls as they form a cheer club and bring their energetic routines to soccer games in their small coastal town.

While incorporating familiar elements of sports and coming-of-age movies, Victory stands out with its humor and heartwarming portrayal of friendship. Led by a captivating performance from Lee Hye-ri as Pil-sun, the movie celebrates the power of teamwork and spirit through even the most challenging of times.

It embraces the messiness of teenage life yet affirms the importance of passion, community, and perseverance. Above all, Victory spreads a contagious enthusiasm that leaves the viewer feeling uplifted.

Now mostly forgotten K-pop songs play on the radio as...

From Macbeth to True History Of The Kelly Gang to Nitram, across eras and genres Australian director Justin Kurzel has proven himself to be a firebrand filmmaker, capable of grabbing an audience by the throat and never letting them go through jaw-slackening imagery, tension-filled storytelling, and — to pinch a popular phrase — a seriously locked-in directorial sensibility. And his latest, true story inspired thriller The Order — in which Jude Law plays an FBI agent caught in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a Neo-Nazi (Nicholas Hoult) in 1980s Washington State — looks every bit as thrillingly tense as the Aussie helmsman's past works. Check out the official trailer below:

At a moment in time where the political temperature is rising once again across the pond, it looks like Kurzel's new movie — which begins with Nicholas Hoult's Aryan Nation leader Bob Mathews declaring that "in every revolution, someone has to fire the first...

The 19th edition of the London Korean Film Festival (Lkff), organised by the Korean Cultural Centre UK (Kccuk) and supported by the Korean Film Council, is proud to unveil its 2024 programme. The London Korean Film Festival will take place at BFI Southbank, Ciné Lumière, and Institute of Contemporary Arts (Ica) from 1 November to 13 November. It will feature two strands; Cinema Now and Women’s Voices, as well as a programme from the BFI Echoes in Time: Korean Films of the Golden Age and New Cinema.

Opening Gala Film: Park Beom-su‘s Victory

Closing Gala Film: E.oni‘s Love In The Big City

Special Screening: Choi Dong-hoon‘s Alienoid: Return To The Future

Victory by Park Beom-su will open the festival on the 6 November at BFI Southbank with the director in attendance. In 1999, two rebellious teenagers start a cheerleading squad for their provincial high school, bringing confidence and solidarity to themselves,...

Sean Diddy Combs is currently a high-profile inmate at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. He was arrested in New York City on September 16 and has been currently charged with three counts. The charges include racketeering conspiracy, s*x trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation to engage in pr*stitution.

P Diddy in the I’ll Be Missing You music video | Credits: Bad Boy Entertainment

His arrest and disturbing details of “freak off” parties, as revealed in his indictment, have placed increased scrutiny on his circle of friends. While a long list of celebrities were invited to his famous parties, there is no evidence that any of them attended these specific “freak off” events. Here is a list of all his famous Hollywood friends:

Naomi Campbell Naomi Campbell in a still from American Horror Story | Credits: FX

Naomi Campbell and Sean Diddy Combs allegedly dated in the early 2000s.

Netflix is producing a docuseries from Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson about charges of sex trafficking and racketeering as well as sexual assault and violent abuse allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs. Alexandria Stapleton directs the project, which is currently in production.

“This is a story with significant human impact. It is a complex narrative spanning decades, not just the headlines or clips seen so far,” 50 Cent and Stapleton said in an exclusive statement to Variety. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to give a voice to the voiceless and to present authentic and nuanced perspectives. While the allegations are disturbing, we urge all to remember that Sean Combs’ story is not the full story of hip-hop and its culture. We aim to ensure that individual actions do not overshadow the culture’s broader contributions.”

50 Cent executive produces through his G-Unit Film & Television banner, while Stapleton executive produces for House of Nonfiction,...

Tito Jackson, singer and co-founding member of the Jackson 5, has died at the age of 70.

“It’s with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved father, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson is no longer with us. We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken. Our father was an incredible man who cared about everyone and their well-being,” his family announced in a statement late Sunday, September 15th. According to Entertainment Tonight, Jackson died after suffering an apparent heart attack.

Tito was the third of the Jackson family’s nine children and the older brother of Michael and Janet. Alongside his brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael, he achieved worldwide fame as a member of the Jackson 5. Upon their debut in 1968, the Motown group released four consecutive No. 1 singles — “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” and “I’ll Be There” — becoming the first act to accomplish such a feat.

Cinema box office in South Korea amounted to a dismal $5.45 million over the weekend, propelling “Alien: Romulus” back to top spot, despite the film’s steep week-on-week decline. Among new releases there was joy for a Korean-produced panda documentary and disappointment for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.”

“Alien: Romulus” earned $905,000 between Friday and Sunday, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council. That represented a 45% week-on-week decline and market share of less than 17%, but it pushed the horror franchise title to a $14.0 million cumulative since releasing on Aug. 14.

Early September has historically been a weak spot on the calendar for Korean cinema business as the summer season fades out and the biggest local titles delay their releases until the Chuseok (or Korean thanksgiving) holiday season towards the end of the month. The latest Friday-Sunday aggregate followed that seasonal pattern and represented the third weakest weekend haul of the year.

Park Hoon-jung, director of hit Korean franchise The Witch and Disney+ series The Tyrant, is set to begin shooting revenge thriller Tristes Tropiques this month. Finecut has secured international sales rights and will introduce the project to buyers in Toronto.

The story follows a group of young assassins affiliated with an organisation known as Tristes Tropiques, who are trained by the tropical rainforest’s absolute ruler called ‘Master’. As they grapple with mutual distrust, they vow to exact bloody revenge.

The film is set to begin shooting in Thailand this September and is expected to wrap by December. Cast has...

Park Hoon-jung, an in-demand director of action-noir films, will begin production this month on “Tristes Tropiques.” The picture will be launched to distributors on the sidelines of the Toronto International Film Festival by Finecut, which is to handle sales rights.

The film follows a group of young assassins affiliated with the Tristes Tropiques organization, which specializes in jungle warfare and is under the absolute rule of Master.

The production will be located in Thailand and run from September to December. Finecut reports that it will boast an international cast adept at diverse styles of action, but it offers no details of either the Korean or foreign elements.

“Tristes Tropiques” is produced by director Park’s own production company, Gold Moon Film and is co-produced by Mindmark, a content IP company owned by the Shinsegae department stores and duty-free shopping group. Its recent slate also includes “A Normal Family,” “Victory,” “Love Reset” and “Honey Sweet.

Seoul-based Finecut has boarded Tristes Tropiques, an upcoming action film by Korean director Park Hoon-jung.

Tristes Tropiques will be Park’s fourth film under Finecut, following New World (2013), V.I.P (2017) and The Witch: Part 1 The Subversion (2018).

Park’s latest film follows a group of young assassins affiliated with the organization “Tristes Tropiques,” trained by the tropical rainforest’s absolute ruler called “Master.” As they grapple with distrust, they vow to exact bloody revenge.

The film is set to begin shooting in Thailand in September and is expected to wrap by December.

Finecut added that Tristes Tropiques will feature a multi-national cast.

Park started his career as a writer, penning Ryoo Seung-wan’s The Unjust (2010) and winning the Best Screenplay award for his work on the film at the 15th Fantasia International Film Festival. Park also wrote the screenplay for Kim Jee-woon’s I Saw The Devil (2010).

Park made his debut...

Concert film, “Lim Young Woong Im Hero The Stadium” was the top-grossing film at the South Korean cinema box office over the latest weekend, ahead of conventional narrative movies ‘Alien: Romulus” and “Pilot.”

Data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic) show “Im Hero” to have earned $1.89 million between Friday and Sunday and $3.47 million over its five-day opening frame. “Alien: Romulus” earned $1.66 million in its third weekend and has a 19-day cumulative of $12.5 million.

However, local convention allocates chart ranking according to spectator numbers. According to that logic, “Alien: Romulus” held its lead for a third weekend, having sold a further 223,000 tickets, compared with the 87,000 tickets sold for “Im Hero.” The difference is explained by the concert film’s significantly higher ticket prices.

Lim, who mostly sings ballads and trot songs, emerged on to the scene in a 2020 TV talent show. With good looks and a wholesome,...

Venice film festival

Gianni Amelio’s saga is set in 1918, when a pair of Italian doctors take very different approaches to treating the wounded that pass through their wards

Here is the upstanding infantryman of this year’s Venice film festival competition: dogged and decent, doomed to be gunned down by the judges. The festival likes to find room for the occasional domestic production in the main programme, a film that’s happy to ride its home-turf advantage but is otherwise there to make up the numbers. Gianni Amelio’s tense wartime saga is better than most but that counts for little when the battle heats up.

It is 1918, “the Year of Victory”, although in smalltown Italy it feels more akin to defeat. Alessandro Borghi and Gabriel Montesi play Giulio and Stefano, two childhood friends who work as doctors in a military hospital that has become a battleground of its own,...

“Alien: Romulus” claimed a second weekend victory at the South Korean theatrical box office in another quiet session that may signal the end of the summer season.

The horror-action franchise film collected $2.70 million between Friday and Sunday, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). After 12 days on release, it has a cumulative of $9.81 million.

The film’s weekend performance represented only a modest 24% week-on-week decline compared with its opening frame. And the film’s share of the weekend market remained steady at 28%.

That meant that the overall market trended downwards too – by 23% — delivering the first weekend with aggregate box office below $10 million for ten weeks. A lack of significant titles arriving in cinemas may further be signalling the end of the summer season – a vibrant season in previous year, often dominated by horror titles. Big local titles, such as “Veteran” sequel “I, The Executioner...

Don’t count Bally Sports out yet. The Diamond-owned regional sports networks have negotiated new deals with nine NHL teams and 13 NBA franchises. The Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans won’t be moving forward with Bally.

7-Day Free Trial $19.99+ / month ballysports.com Which Teams Are Continuing on Bally Sports?

The NHL teams sticking with Bally are the Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Bally’s NBA teams will be the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, LA Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, and San Antonio Spurs.

The Dallas Mavericks haven’t announced their plans, but the Dallas Stars recently launched their own streamer, Victory+. It’s possible the Mavs could join that service, start their own, or...

“Alien: Romulus” emerged on top of the South Korean box office on a weekend with five new-release titles in the top ten chart.

The U.S. horror-thriller franchise film earned $3.47 million between Friday and Sunday, with a 28% market share, data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic) showed. Over its full five-day opening “Alien Romulus” earned $5.46 million.

Those figures were enough to push “Pilot,” the Korean comedy-drama film that had topped the box office for the past two weeks, into second position. And the generous crop of newcomers lifted the nationwide weekend box office aggregate to $12.4 million.

Incurring a 45% week-on-week loss of altitude, “Pilot” earned $2.73 million over the latest weekend, giving it a three-weekend cumulative of $26.7 million. That is the fourth highest total by any film In Korea so far this year and relegates “Wonka” to 2024’s fifth position.

Korean-produced new release film “Land of...

How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, the Thai drama that has proved a box office and cultural phenomenon in Asia, has been picked up by Netflix.

The streaming giant will make the film available across Southeast Asia from September 12 and in further countries later this year.

Marking the feature directorial debut of Pat Boonnitipat and produced by Bangkok-based hitmakers Gdh 559, the family drama stars popular Thai singer Putthipong Assaratanakul (aka Billkin) and Usha Seamkhum.

‘How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies’ producer talks Thai breakout hit (exclusive)

Since being released in April and May, the film has become the...

The upcoming South Korean film “Victory” has found success in securing distribution agreements across multiple international territories even before its domestic debut. The movie tells the story of two high school girls who form a cheerleading club on a remote Korean island in 1999.

Directed by Park Beom-su, “Victory” stars Lee Hye-ri as one of the main characters forming the cheerleading club. Lee has transitioned successfully from her previous career in K-pop music to acting roles. For her performance in “Victory,” she won the Screen International Rising Star Asia Award at the New York Asian Film Festival, where the movie premiered.

Seoul-based sales company Finecut announced that “Victory” has been picked up by distributors in at least six territories worldwide. This includes 815 Pictures distributing the movie in North America, and various partners in Asian markets such as Sky Films Entertainment in Taiwan and Lumix Media in Vietnam. Other territories securing releases are Indonesia,...

Seoul-based Finecut has secured distribution deals in more than six territories for high school drama film Victory, ahead of the film’s Korean release on August 14.

Victory has been acquired by 815 Pictures (North America), Sky Films Entertainment (Taiwan), Lumix Media (Vietnam), Pt Prima Cinema Multimedia (Indonesia), House of M (Thailand), Emphasis Video Entertainment (Inflight) and Westec Media Limited (Cambodia).

The film received its world premiere as the opening film at the New York Asian Film Festival and stars Lee Hye-ri (Reply 1988) of K-pop group Girl’s Day and Park Se-wan (Life Is Beautiful).

It tells the story of a high school dance duo (played by Lee and Park), who inspire people in their village with their cheerleading performance. They also soon find themselves cheering on an underdog school soccer team on a remote island.

Directed by Park Beom-su, the cast also includes Cho A-ram...

Korean cheerleading movie Victory is headed to U.S. cinemas. Ahead of its upcoming South Korean release, the film was pre-sold by Seoul-based sales outfit Finecut to 815 Pictures for a North American theatrical run.

Described as “an uplifting and heartwarming drama centered around a high-school dance duo,” the film follows the cheerleaders as they inspire an underdog school soccer team and the surrounding village on a remote Korean island. Directed by Park Beom-su, known for Single in Seoul and Red Carpet, the film premiered as the opening title at the recent New York Asian Film Festival, where one of its stars, Lee Hye-ri, was honored with the event’s screen international rising star Asia award.

Finecut also has inked deals for the movie across Asia, including to Sky Films Entertainment for Taiwan; Lumix Media for Vietnam; Pt Prima Cinema Multimedia for Indonesia; House of M for Thailand; Emphasis Video Entertainment...

South Korea’s Finecut has sold upcoming comedy-drama Victory to a raft of territories including North America ahead of its local release on Wednesday (August 14).

The film, centred on a Korean cheerleading squad, has been acquired by 815 Pictures for North America and Lumix Media for Vietnam, both of which will open the feature theatrically on August 16.

It has also been picked up for Taiwan (Sky Films Entertainment), Indonesia (Pt Prima Cinema Multimedia), Thailand (House of M) and Cambodia (Westec Media Limited), which are set to release the film from late August to September. Inflight rights have gone to Emphasis Video Entertainment.

Trinity Rodman’s spectacular debut goal highlighted the U.S. women’s national team’s commanding 3-0 victory over Zambia in their Olympic opener Thursday night.

Rodman, the daughter of basketball star Dennis Rodman, made her first Olympic appearance, showcasing her skill with a remarkable spin move in the 17th minute, leaving defender Martha Tembo off-balance before calmly slotting the ball past Zambian goalkeeper Ngambo Musole.

“It was purely instinctual,” Rodman said of her move, which she dubbed the “Trin Spin.” “I knew taking a touch forward would have pushed me out of scoring position, so I tried to throw her off balance. It worked perfectly.”

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Mallory Swanson added two quick goals, setting a new team record for the shortest time between scores. Her first came in the 24th minute off a pass from Lindsey Horan,...

A mash-up of cheerleading and soccer tropes, Victory is like a shiny, bright beach toy that breaks the first time you use it. The opening-night presentation at this year’s New York Asian Film Festival, it has enough hit tunes and dance routines for K-pop fans, as well as some melodrama for their parents.

Most of all, Victory is a showcase for Lee Hye-ri, the South Korean superstar known more familiarly as just “Hyeri.” A member of the Girl’s Day band, Hyeri forged a career on Korean TV as an adorable little sister or the “cute girl next door.” That led to modeling and social media, where she has millions of followers.

In Victory, she’s Pil-Sun, a misfit and outsider. With her bulky clothes and ratty hair, she’s almost afraid to be pretty. Branded a troublemaker at her high school In Geoje, an island off the southern coast of Korea,...

Our journey through Michael Caine’s 80s work reaches one of his best: Educating Rita, co-starring a powerhouse Julie Walters in the title role.

Michael Caine showed no sign of slowing down as he entered his third decade as a leading man. The 1980s would see him win his first Academy Award (Hannah And Her Sisters), tackle new genres such as horror (The Hand) and shark-based revenge movie (Jaws The Revenge) while continuing to work with interesting new auteurs like Brian De Palma (Dressed to Kill) as well as old friends from classic Hollywood such as John Huston (Escape To Victory).

Film by film, I’ll be taking a look at Caine’s 1980s filmography to see what hidden gems I can unearth alongside the more familiar classics…

Spoilers for Educating Rita ahead…

Directed by: Lewis Gilbert

Tagline: Frank Bryant is a professor of literature. And Rita is his newest student.

The New York Asian Film Foundation and Film at Lincoln Center announce the 23rd edition of the New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff), running July 12–22 at Film at Lincoln Center, with additional screenings from July 22–28 at the Sva Theatre and July 13–15, 18–21, and 23–25 at Look Cinemas W57, plus a special collaborative presentation of films at the Korean Cultural Center New York.

“For so many, Asian films start and end with Parasite or Everything Everywhere All At Once (who could blame them?), but the real action is happening in the trenches of Asian cinema, where audacious auteurs and daring debutantes are unleashing a tidal wave of talent that's about to crash on American shores,” said Samuel Jamier, festival director and president of the New York Asian Film Foundation. “This year's festival is like sriracha sauce – it's spicy, it's tangy, it's got a kick that'll wake up your senses. And it's hard to find right now!