When the long-awaited “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” movie premiered in theatres in November of 2016, Harry Potter fans of all ages were dazzled by beasts of all kinds, from Nifflers to Thunderbirds.
While many could argue that 2016 was not great for a variety of social and political reasons, it’s no argument that it was a year in which movies flourished. This year particularly proved that diversity and equal representation in filmmaking was necessary for telling intricate stories from all walks of life. While there is still a lot of progress to be made, the movies that scored big in 2016 told perspectives from women, people of color and those within the LGBTQ+ community. In a world as big and diverse as ours, it’s important for everyone’s stories to be heard.
It’s been nearly a decade since we said goodbye to Lorelai and Rory, and still the “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” revival couldn’t have come a minute too soon. The revival brings the Gilmore girls into present day, complete with smartphones, social media and “Hamilton.” With four episodes, each one an hour-and-a-half long, fans can watch Rory, Lorelai and Emily experience heartaches, hilarity and hijinks through winter, spring, summer and fall of one calendar year.
Warning: There are spoilers ahead!
“Stranger Things”: It’s the hottest thing on TV right now. It’s almost guaranteed that all of your friends will disappear for a day or two to binge this eight-episode Netflix series, and with Halloween coming up, it’s sure to keep growing in popularity. For those who haven’t watched the science-fiction hit yet, it follows the disappearance of 12-year-old Will and his family’s journey to get him back from supernatural forces, along with the help of a telekinetic girl with a buzz cut. There are plenty of monsters, teen romance and ‘80s vibes, so there’s basically something for everyone. If you haven’t watched it yet, a hurricane is coming and now is the ideal time. So grab a drink and follow along (spoiler-free, of course).
Fall is here, and the climate is changing. No, I’m not talking about the outdoors — we’ve got a few months left of 80- to 90-degree weather. I’m talking about the climate of film: out with the summer blockbusters and in with the Oscar bait and film-festival favorites. For those of you wondering what exactly there is to look forward to, here’s a preview of some buzz-generating projects that I think are worth highlighting.
“The Originals,” a spinoff of “The Vampire Diaries,” centers on the Mikaelson siblings: Klaus (Joseph Morgan), Elijah (Daniel Gillies) and Rebekah (Claire Holt). The show takes place in New Orleans, where the Mikaelson’s return after a century away to find and protect Klaus’ child, better known as the “miracle baby.”
With the presidential election drawing near, “Southside With You” manages to escape the sea of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump yard signs in order to say, “Hey, remember how likable our current president is?”
“Stranger Things,” the critically acclaimed Netflix original, is a television show where the phrase “Stranger things have happened,” could probably trace its origin.
No. 9 Productions, Inc. is filming the pilot episode for a new show based in Gainesville on Saturday at the Squitieri Studio Theatre at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
Ever watched one of your favorite shows, seen actors your own age and wondered where they went to school? Well if your favorite show is “Bloodline,” one of the show’s stars has been walking around the UF campus with you all along. Taylor Rouviere, 19, plays Jane Rayburn in the hit Netflix show and is going into her third year at UF as a biology and psychology double major. I sat down with her to talk about living in Gainesville and working on an acclaimed TV show as a college student.
It’s summer, which probably means you have lots of free time on your hands. It’s also Florida, which means it’s raining every afternoon and you have to spend a good amount of that free time inside. What better way to pass the rainy day away than catching some of summer’s hottest movies? Here’s the best ones of summer (some coming soon) with a little something for everyone.
Movie4Mi was created in 2011 as an Android app, but in January of this year, the website version of the app officially launched. David Dawkins said the app was a side project he created while he was a pharmacy student at UF.
Disney took a break from its recent tirade of snowmen and inflatable robots to bring us something more familiar: animated, anthropomorphic animals.
The Coen brothers’ newest feature “Hail, Caesar!” opened in theaters last weekend, and if box office numbers are any indication, audiences gave it a big “Hail, no!” With the lowest turnout ever of the siblings’ career, the comedy only raked in about $11.4 million in spite of its recent critical acclaim. Perhaps it’s because many of the advertisements didn’t map out a clear plot. Spoiler: There is no clear plot.
Bradley Searles never imagined he would be involved in drama.
Rooster Teeth, an Austin-based production company known for its online content, released its first-ever feature-length film, “Lazer Team,” in theatres Wednesday. Crowd-funded through Indiegogo, the comedy features a misfit team that must put aside its differences to save the planet from an alien threat. Tickets for nearby showings can be bought at lazerteamthemovie.com. The movie will also debut on YouTube Red in early February.
UF’s Gator Gaming Club is providing a trip down memory lane with its first-ever gaming party, featuring video game favorites from the ‘90s until now.
Marvel fans rejoice: There’s a new heroine in town and she’s hardcore. Jessica Jones is the most recent character to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a 13-episode series on Netflix, released Nov. 20. The series follows the same nitty-gritty, dark essence the first Netflix-Marvel collaboration “Daredevil” was filmed in, and just like the former, “Jessica Jones” does not disappoint.
Here’s the best way to deal with finals: Procrastinate by watching (or re-watching) six seasons of "Gossip Girl," and drink away your stress.
Solutions by The State News
