The end of Cheech & Chong?
'Cheech & Chong's Last Movie' reunites the stoner comedy duo on the big screen for the first time in more than 40 years. The documentary, David Bushell's feature-film directorial debut, is a deep dive into the telling their story — in their own words. The film relies on interviews — both archival and news — as well as photos, animation and a little bit of road-trip movie-making magic.
Los Angeles Times reporter Adam Tschorn sat with the duo to ask them the hardest question: is this actually the end?
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9 hours ago
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14 positive things that happened on Friday the 13th
June 13 is a Friday. Traditionally, Friday the 13th is considered a "cursed" date, but it doesn't have to be. President Johnson signed an executive order preventing gender discrimination on October 13, 1967. Friday the 13th has a long history of freaking people out. When this day rolls around, people buy and travel less. In fact, the global economy is estimated to lose as much as $900 million every time a Friday lands on the 13th. However, the Dutch Center for Insurance Statistics reported in 2008 that Friday the 13th is actually statistically safer than other Fridays — there are fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft on these days. If that doesn't convince you, keep scrolling to learn about some positive events that took place on a Friday the 13th. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed an executive order preventing gender discrimination in the government. While Title VII officially prevented discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, and sex for private employers, it wasn't until Executive Order 11375 that discrimination based on gender was illegal for the federal government and federal contractors. President Johnson signed the order, which was officially titled Amending Executive Order No. 11246, Relating to Equal Employment Opportunity, on October 13, 1967. Malta became a republic. The tiny Mediterranean country of Malta first became independent of the British in 1964, but officially became a republic on December 13, 1974. Even though it's small, Malta is an underrated place to visit. Evelyn "Pinky" Kilgare-Brier became the first certified female pilot instructor. According to the National Museum of the US Air Force, Kilgare-Brier became the first woman to receive an airplane instructor's license on October 13, 1939. She was an important figure for women in aviation. She also flew non-combat missions during World War II, and after the war she owned and operated her own private airport, according to her obituary in the Los Angeles Times. The Olympics officially returned to their home country. The 2004 Summer Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, the country where they started, both in ancient and modern times. The opening ceremony took place on August 13. It was the largest Olympic Games at the time, with 201 countries participating. Michael Phelps also won his first Olympic medal and broke his first record in Athens. The queens of the '90s, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, were born. The Olsen twins were born on June 13, 1986. They famously got their start on "Full House" and went on to create an empire: books, videos, perfume, clothing lines, and much more. "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" premiered on Friday, October 13, 2023. Taylor Swift was born on December 13, 1989 — her birthday landed on Friday the 13th last year — and she has repeatedly said that 13 is her favorite number. She even used to perform with "13" drawn on her hand. As part of her 13 agenda, her blockbuster concert film "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" premiered in theaters on Friday, October 13, 2023. It went on to become the highest-grossing concert film of all time after grossing $261 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. The first scientifically recognized dinosaur eggs were discovered. Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the first dinosaur eggs at a dig in Mongolia on July 13, 1923, according to the American Museum of Natural History. Scientifically, this was huge for the field of paleontology, confirming that dinosaurs laid eggs. The museum was so impressed that Andrews went on to become its director from 1935 to 1942. The famous Hollywood sign was dedicated. The Hollywood sign is an iconic piece of California culture. But when it was officially dedicated on July 13, 1923, it wasn't even supposed to last for more than two years. Originally, the sign was installed to promote a new subdivision in the Hollywood Hills. "Super Mario Bros." was released. "Super Mario Bros.," one of the most iconic video games in history, was released on September 13, 1985, exclusively in Japan, per The Verge. Since then, Mario has been in approximately 170 games, including wildly successful spin-offs like "Mario Kart," "Mario Party," and "Paper Mario." A "significant amount" of water was found on the Moon. A lunar space station has long been the subject of science fiction novels, but on November 13, 2009, that dream took one step closer to reality when NASA announced they found water on the Moon. How much is a "significant amount"? According to NASA's Anthony Colaprete, around a dozen 2-gallon bucketfuls. Black Sabbath released their debut album and invented heavy metal. 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Even though the movie was critically panned, the movie made over $36 million against a $2.3 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo. Friday the 13th is always the last day before the weekend. If all else fails to convince you that Friday the 13th isn't a cursed date, just remember this: It's the last day of the workweek. Fridays are the best! Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
13 hours ago
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Dakota Johnson Says Hollywood Is a ‘Mess': Decisions Are Made by ‘People Who Don't Watch Movies or Know Anything About Them' and Studios ‘Remake the Same Things'
Dakota Johnson continues to speak her mind on the failings of contemporary Hollywood. While appearing on 'Hot Ones' during her 'Materialists' press tour, she was asked by host Sean Evans why 'Hollywood is risk-averse.' 'I think it's hard when creative decisions are made by committee and it's hard when creative decisions are made by people who don't even really watch movies or know anything about them, and that tends to be what's occurring a lot,' Johnson answered bluntly. More from Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Dakota Johnson Says Sandra Bullock Sent a Voice Note of Support After 'Madame Web' Won the Razzie Award for Worst Actress: 'I Freaked Out' 'Materialists' Review: Celine Song's Follow-Up to 'Past Lives' Is a Rom-Com Played Straight, With Dakota Johnson as a Matchmaker Tangled Up in Love and Money She added that remake addiction is also undoing Hollywood, explaining: 'When something does well, studios want to keep that going so they remake the same things, but humans don't want that. They want fresh, they want to feel new things, experience new things, see new things, so I don't know, I guess it's all just a bit of a mess right now, isn't it?' Johnson has been open in interviews over the past year about the nightmare experience of 'Madame Web,' her 2024 Sony comic book tentpole that flopped at the box office and with critics. Johnson headlined the film as Cassandra Webb, a paramedic who gains the ability to see the future after a near-death experience, but it earned a dismal $43 million at the domestic box office and an 11% on Rotten Tomatoes. She said on 'Hot Ones' that she 'tried' and 'failed' to be a superhero. 'It wasn't my fault,' Johnson told the Los Angeles Times earlier this month about the flop. 'There's this thing that happens now where a lot of creative decisions are made by committee. Or made by people who don't have a creative bone in their body. And it's really hard to make art that way. Or to make something entertaining that way.' Johnson added, 'I think unfortunately with 'Madame Web,' it started out as something and turned into something else. And I was just sort of along for the ride at that point. But that happens. Bigger budget movies fail all the time.' Speaking to Bustle last year, Johnson said Hollywood was also suffering because 'you cannot make art based on numbers and algorithms. My feeling has been for a long time that audiences are extremely smart, and executives have started to believe that they're not. Audiences will always be able to sniff out bullshit.' Watch Johnson's full appearance on 'Hot Ones' in the video below. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
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14 hours ago
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An off-putting season of ‘Hacks' just opened the door in the Emmy race
'Hacks' won the comedy series Emmy last year on the strength of a campaign that proclaimed: Vote for us! We're actually a comedy (unlike, you know, 'The Bear'). So what happens this year when the show stopped being funny? I'm Glenn Whipp, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and host of The Envelope newsletter. There's not much to laugh about these days, so let's pick our spots and consider the TV series vying for television's top award. Let me just say at the outset that I enjoy 'Hacks.' And like everyone else on the planet, I adore Jean Smart and appreciate that Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky created a role worthy of her talents. Comparing notes with Smart on the best sad sing-along songs is a memory I'll always treasure, and even inspired me for a time to dip back into listening to 'love songs on the Coast.' At its essence, 'Hacks' is a love story between Smart's stand-up legend Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), the young writer who helped Deborah reinvent her career. They come from different generations and possess distinct comic sensibilities. They fight, hurt each other, separate and ultimately reunite after realizing that they're better together. They get each other. Or at least, Ava gets Deborah. And that's enough because Deborah is the star and she doesn't really need to bother understanding Ava's Gen Z peculiarities. She can just roll her eyes. Their mutual dependence is believable enough. They both live for work. So much so that at the end of 'Hacks'' third season, Ava has blackmailed Deborah, an act that lands her the head writer job that Deborah had promised to give her on her late-night talk show. Ava was but the learner, now she's the master. Well played, Dark Lady of the Sith. It was, as our old friend Jeff Probst would say, an epic blindside, and you can understand why this current season would begin with bitter acrimony between the two women, a situation so toxic that the network brought in a human resources rep to keep them from harming each other. The animosity wasn't fun to watch. The tone was shrill and off-putting. Was there a joke that landed in the season's first half? I don't remember one, but maybe that's because I was curled up in a fetal position watching the plot unfold. At least amid the drama of 'The Bear,' I could get some some inspiration for a good set of kitchen knives. Of course, Deborah and Ava got back together, which was a relief because that HR lady was annoying. The season's penultimate episode was ridiculous, but in all the best ways, surprising and emotionally satisfying. Helen Hunt finally scored a big moment. And Julianne Nicholson showed some moves as Dance Mom that I never imagined her possessing. Get that character to rehab and into Season 5. Yes, 'Hacks' can still entertain. Even the anticlimactic final episode gave Smart the opportunity to play boozy and bored, showcasing her depth as a dramatic actor. One would think that after what transpired, Deborah would have more opportunities, even with a noncompete clause, to parlay her ethical stance into something more meaningful than a sad casino gig in Singapore. But the finale set up one final comeback — final because 'Hacks' was pitched with a five-season arc. And we're on the doorstep. At least they won't have to contrive to separate Ava and Deborah again. So, by all means, nominate 'Hacks' for comedy series again. I'd rather rewatch it than nod off during the tepid 'Four Seasons.' And maybe since the show's creators have known (since 2015) what the final scene will be, we'll have a persuasive fifth season possessing the energy of a great Deborah Vance comeback. In the meantime, keep last year's mandate going and give the Emmy to a show that was consistently funny. Give the Emmy to 'The Studio.'
