Latest news with #BlackSwan
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New group takes over former Black Swan wedding venue, offering to honor old bookings
Milwaukee-based hospitality group 41Fork is taking over a venue once operated by wedding company Black Swan MKE, which shuttered abruptly earlier this year. Black Swan was ordered to vacate from its Third Ward wedding venue known as Plant No. 4 in December 2024, but customers only found out in March — leaving dozens of couples scrambling to save their wedding plans. On May 23, 41Fork announced on its Facebook page that it signed a lease for the venue and is offering a 30-day window for former clients to reclaim their reservations. Online court records show that the owners of the Plant No. 4 property sued to evict Black Swan MKE in November and that the eviction was granted in December. In April, the property owners filed a separate lawsuit against Black Swan seeking more than $238,000 in unpaid rent, maintenance costs, and storage fees, alleging the venue failed to meet its obligations under the lease, according to court records. Although Black Swan's owner acknowledged receipt of the lawsuit in late April, no formal response had been filed by the May 19 deadline, according to court records. Black Swan is also being sued by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue for more than $7,000 in unpaid sales tax, court records show. The company was run by father and son duo Peter and Stephen Sheperd, who have not responded to requests for comment. 41Fork is a collective of hospitality brands offering catering services, mobile bars and event venues. The group also operates at the following Milwaukee locations: Noble Catering and Events, a catering company located at 400 E. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 102 Vault, a cocktail lounge located at 111 E. Kilbourn Ave., Suite 210 River Center Market, a food hall located at 111 E Kilbourn Ave., Suite 110 Until June 20, the company is inviting former Plant No. 4 clients who had previously booked events to reinstate their reservations. 41Fork said it will honor any payments those customers made to Black Swan, with the understanding that clients will be required to use NEAT, 41Fork's in-house bar service. Owner Kaelyn Cervero said 41Fork will not book new clients until June 23 to honor the former contracts and avoid double bookings. Affected clients can contact 41Fork by email at events@ or through the contact form on its website. Multiple consumers who filed complaints with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection have received refunds from Black Swan, according to department spokesperson Caleb Kulich. One of them was Brooke Moder, who paid a $6,025 deposit in July in hopes of having her wedding hosted by Black Swan. Moder filed a complaint with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection on March 21. The agency said on April 4 that Black Swan had agreed to issue a refund. Moder received a check for the full amount three days later. Moder noted the check appeared to come from the wife of Black Swan's owner, which she called "a bit odd." Quinn Clark is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be emailed at QClark@ This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee's 41Fork takes over former Black Swan wedding venue
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Hollywood isn't ready for AI. These people are diving in anyway
When filmmakers say they're experimenting with artificial intelligence, that news is typically received online as if they had just declared their allegiance to Skynet. And so it was when Darren Aronofsky — director of button-pushing movies including 'The Whale' and 'Black Swan' — last week announced a partnership with Google AI arm DeepMind to use the tech giant's capabilities in storytelling. Aronofsky's AI-focused studio Primordial Soup is producing three short movies from emerging filmmakers using Google tools, including the text-to-video model Veo. The first film, 'Ancestra,' directed by Eliza McNitt, will premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 13, the Mountain View-based search giant said. Google's promotional materials take pains to show that 'Ancestra' is a live-action film made by humans and with real actors, though it's bolstered with effects and imagery — including a tiny baby holding a mother's finger — that were created with AI. The partnership was touted during Google's I/O developer event, where the company showed off the new Veo 3, which allows users to create videos that include sound effects, ambient noise and speech (a step up from OpenAI-owned competitor, Sora). The company also introduced its new Flow film creation tool, essentially editing software using Google AI functions. Google's push to court creative types coincides with a separate initiative to help AI technology overcome its massive public relations problem. As my colleague Wendy Lee wrote recently, the company is working with filmmakers including Sean Douglas and his famous father Michael Keaton to create shorts that aren't made with AI, but instead portray the technology in a less apocalyptic light than Hollywood is used to. Simply put, much of the public sees AI as a foe that will steal jobs, rip off your intellectual property, ruin your childhood, destroy the environment and possibly kill us all, like in 'The Terminator,' '2001: A Space Odyssey' and the most recent 'Mission: Impossible' movies. And Google, which is making a big bet by investing in AI, has a lot riding on changing that perception. There's a ways to go, including in the entertainment industry. Despite the allure of cost-savings, traditional studios haven't exactly dived headfirst into the AI revolution. They're worried about the legal implications of using models trained on troves of copyrighted material, and they don't want to anger the entertainment worker unions, which went on strike partly over AI fears just a couple years ago. The New York Times and others have sued OpenAI and its investor Microsoft, alleging copyright theft. Tech giants claim they are protected by 'fair use.' AI-curious studios are walking into a wild, uncharted legal landscape because of the amount of copyrighted material being mined to teach the models, said Dan Neely, co-founder of startup Vermillio, which helps companies and individuals protect their intellectual property. 'The major studios and most people are going to be challenged using this product when it comes to the output content that you can and cannot use or own,' Neely said by phone. 'Given that it contains vast quantities of copyrighted material, and you can get it to replicate that stuff pretty easily, that creates chaos for someone who's creating with it.' But while the legacy entertainment business remains largely skeptical of AI, many newer, digitally-native studios and creators are embracing it, whether their goals are to become the next Pixar or the next Mr. Beast. The New York Times recently profiled the animation startup Toonstar, which says it uses AI throughout its production process, including when sharpening storylines and lip-syncing. John Attanasio, a Toonstar founder, told the paper that leaning into the tech would make animation '80 percent faster and 90 percent cheaper than industry norms.' Jeffrey Katzenberg, the former leader of DreamWorks Animation, has given a similar estimate of the potential cost-savings for Hollywood cartoons. Anyone working in the traditional computer animation business would have to gulp at those projections, whether they turn out to be accurate or not. U.S. animation jobs have already been hammered by outsourcing. Now here comes automation to finish the job. (Disney's animated features cost well over $100 million to produce because they're made by real-life animators in America.) Proponents of AI will sometimes argue that the new technology isn't a replacement for human workers, but rather a tool to enhance creativity. Some are more blunt: Stop worrying about these jobs and embrace the future of uninhibited creation. For obvious reasons, workers are reluctant to buy into that line of thinking. More broadly, it's still unclear whether all the spending on the AI arms race will ultimately be worth the cost. Goldman Sachs, in a 2024 report, estimated that companies would invest $1 trillion in AI infrastructure — including data centers, chips and the power grid — in the coming years. But that same report raised questions about AI's ultimate utility. To be worth the gargantuan investment, the technology would have to be capable of solving far more complex problems than it does now, said one Goldman analyst in the report. In recent weeks, the flaws in the technology have crossed over into absurd territory: For example, by generating a summer reading list of fake books and legal documents polluted with serious errors and fabrications. Big spending and experimentation doesn't always pan out. Look at virtual reality, the metaverse and the blockchain. But some entertainment companies are experimenting with the tools and finding applications. Meta has partnered with horror studio Blumhouse and James Cameron's venture Lightstorm Vision on AI-related initiatives. AI firm Runway is working with Lionsgate. At a time when the movie industry is troubled in part due to the high cost of special effects, production companies are motivated to stay on top of advancing tech. One of the most common arguments in favor of giving in to AI is that the technology will unshackle the next generation of creative minds. Some AI-enhanced content is promising. But so far AI video tools have produced a remarkable amount of content that looks the same, with its oddly dreamlike sheen of unreality. That's partly because the models are trained on color-corrected imagery available on the open internet or on YouTube. Licensing from the studios could help with that problem. The idea of democratizing filmmaking through AI may sound good in theory. However, there are countless examples in movie history — including 'Star Wars' and 'Jaws' — of how having physical and budgetary restrictions are actually good for art, however painful and frustrating they may have been during production. Even within the universe of AI-assisted material, the quality will vary dramatically depending on the talent and skill of people using it. 'Ultimately, it's really hard to tell good stories,' Neely said. 'The creativity that defines what you prompt the machine to do is still human genius — the best will rise to the top.' Like other innovations, the technology will improve with time, as the new Google tools show. Both Veo 3 and Flow showcase how AI is becoming better and easier to use, though they are still not quite mass-market products. For its highest tier, Google is charging $250 a month for its suite of tools. Maybe the next Spielberg will find their way through AI-assisted video, published for free on YouTube. Perhaps Sora and Veo will have a moment that propels them to mainstream acceptance in filmmaking, as 'The Jazz Singer' did for talkies. But those milestones still feel a long way off. The Memorial Day weekend box office achieved record revenue (not adjusting for inflation) of $329.8 million in the U.S. and Canada, thanks to the popularity of Walt Disney Co.'s 'Lilo & Stitch' and Paramount's 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.' Disney's live-action remake generated $183 million in domestic ticket sales, exceeding pre-release analyst expectations, while the latest Tom Cruise superspy spectacle opened with $77 million. The weekend was a continuation of a strong spring rebound for theaters. Revenue so far this year is now up 22% versus 2024, according to Comscore. This doesn't mean the movie business is saved, but it does show that having a mix of different kinds of movies for multiple audiences is healthy for cinemas. Upcoming releases include 'Karate Kid: Legends,' 'Ballerina,' 'How to Train Your Dragon' and a Pixar original, 'Elio.' 'Lilo & Stitch' is particularly notable, coming after Disney's previous live-action redo, 'Snow White,' bombed in theaters. While Snow White has an important place in Disney history, Stitch — the chaotic blue alien — has quietly become a hugely important character for the company, driving enormous merchandise sales over the years. The 2002 original wasn't a huge blockbuster, coming during an awkward era for Walt Disney Animation, but the remake certainly is. Watch: Prepping for the new 'Naked Gun' by rewatching the classic and reliving the perfect Twitter meme. Listen: My favorite episode of 'Blank Check with Griffin & David' in a long time — covering Steven Spielberg's 'Hook' with Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Girl on Edge' Review: A Mother and Daughter Hit Thin Ice in Zhou Jinghao's Alluring but Unsatisfactory Skating Drama
Zhou Jinghao's 'Girl on Edge' starts strong. A young woman is shown skating in a dimly lit ring, finishing her routine and stopping right in front of the camera. Her face is revealed, full of blood red bruises. This is the first of many indelible images that fill this psychological drama reminiscent of 'Black Swan'. Like that thriller, 'Girl on Edge' is about a competitive athlete trying to be the best and dealing with her inner demons. The film promises a tantalizing time but ultimately fails to deliver, as nothing that comes after that opening is as clean or cutthroat. The titular girl is Jiang Ning (Zhang Zifeng) a fiercely competitive skater who's been going through a demoralizing period in her training. She can't seem to get it right, never managing to finish a routine without falling. Her tough coach, her mother Wang Shuang (Ma Yili) can't hide her disappointment. She constantly berates her about her failures. The mother blames the daughter for her own short skating career; she had to give it up when she became pregnant. This fraught situation becomes even more tense when Wang takes on another trainee, Zhong Lind (Ding Xiangyua). Zhong, who's a worker at the ring and not a professional skater, has talent to spare. Suddenly Jiang has both a friend and a rival. More from Variety 'Mama' Review: A Housemaid Abroad Gets an Unpleasant Homecoming in an Intriguing Character Study That Veers Into Melodrama Chris Evans Skipped His Movie's Cannes Premiere Because It Was His Mom's 70th Birthday and 'Some Things You Just Can't Miss' Bi Gan's Cannes Winner 'Resurrection' Nabbed by Janus Films for North America (EXCLUSIVE) 'Girl on Edge' takes a while to get to the meat of its story: the relationship between the two younger women. The film asks many intriguing questions along the way. Is Zhong out to destroy Jiang or will Jiang self-implode from the pressure to succeed? As the two skaters get to train and play together, they seem to bring out the best in each other. Could the mother/coach have planted Zhong in order to give her daughter a reason to be better? Though the film doesn't provide a satisfactory resolution to these threads, the time the audience spends contemplating them is mostly enjoyable. But Zhou's feature loses its narrative edge in a series of jumbled twists. It seems to be reaching for both a profound, meaningful ending and a 'gotcha' subversion to bolster its thriller aspirations. Still 'Girl on Edge' delivers in visuals what it lacks in coherent narrative. The visual storytelling sticks in the memory: full of gorgeous images with metaphorical meaning. Jiang trains in a cast-like apparatus, as if she's in a cage, or appearing like a marionette doll manipulated by a bigger entity. The blue hued skating rinks and dance clubs Jiang and Zhang inhabit look beguilingly sinister, serving as both dreamscape and nightmarish reality. The skating scenes are full of tension, with every fall and swerve dramatically rendered in fast cut closeups on faces and skates. Cinematographer Yu Jing-pin creates an alluring visual atmosphere for these characters to play in. Additionally all three lead actors are masters of the close up. They can hold a frame well and convey much without saying anything. 'Girl on Edge' promises a psychological drama about mothers and in trying to reveal the inner turmoil of its characters, it loses its way. Instead of staying with the characters, it devolves into a jumbled mess of flashbacks, explanations and unsatisfactory resolutions. Zhou's images remain stronl; if only the script could keep up. Best of Variety The Best Albums of the Decade
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Natalie Portman stuns in a glamorous semi-sheer ruffled gown as she arrives at the Dior Cruise show in Rome
Natalie Portman turned heads in a glamorous ruffled semi-sheer gown as she headed to the Dior Cruise 2025 show at Villa Albani Torlonia in Rome, Italy on Tuesday. The Oscar winning actress, 43, looked sensational in the grey layered number as she carried the long train of her dress as she departed her hotel for the event. Natalie, who has been a brand ambassador for the French fashion house since 2010, added a stylish white fitted long blazer over the ensemble and elevated her frame in a pair of towering heels. Styling her long tresses in a sleek up do, the Black Swan star accessorised with a coordinated mesh grey neck scarf and toted her belongings in a black handbag. She looked in good spirits as she waved at waiting fans before heading inside the lavish event. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Natalie Portman turned heads in a glamorous ruffled semi-sheer gown as she headed to the Dior Cruise 2025 at Villa Albani Torlonia in Rome, Italy on Tuesday The Oscar winning actress, 43, looked sensational in the grey layered number as she carried the long train of her dress as she departed her hotel for the event It comes after Natalie let her hair down as she modelled a skimpy black bikini in the south of France last week. She showed off her incredible physique as she had abs and sculpted arms with strong legs as she walked barefoot around the coast. The Star Wars veteran was with a mystery man at hotel Eden Roc during the Cannes Film Festival. Natalie recently premiered Arco - the Ugo Bienvenu-directed animation movie - at the Cannes Film Festival. Last month Natalie said she is drawn to roles depending on what's happening in her personal life. The actress revealed her divorce impacted her work during a conversation with Jenna Ortega, 22, following their collaboration in upcoming film The Gallerist. She said: 'There are things that come at certain times of your life. 'There's moments in your life where it's really meaningful to have a work experience that just envelopes you in happiness, and this was one of those.' Natalie, who has been a brand ambassador for the French fashion house since 2010, added a stylish white fitted long blazer over the ensemble and elevated her frame in a pair of towering heels Styling her long tresses in a sleek up do, the Black Swan star accessorised with a coordinated mesh grey neck scarf and toted her belongings in a black handbag She looked in good spirits as she waved at waiting fans before heading inside the lavish event Natalie continued: 'It doesn't always work out, but I'm drawn to things because of what's happening in my personal life.' When asked whether she prioritizes character or script when selecting new roles, Natalie replied: 'I learned from actresses that came before me who said, 'It's important to go for joy.' Though she did not mention Benjamin by name or directly reference the divorce during the interview. Natalie said: 'I was just excited to have kids, and with a person that I was in love with,' when asked about how motherhood had impacted her career.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Austin Butler and Zoe Kravits take on a life unknown in new film Caught Stealing. Watch trailer
Sony Pictures are bringing a whole bunch of confusion and action with their new film Caught Stealing, which will follow the life of Hank Thompson, played by Austin Butler. Director Darren Aronofsky, who is known for films like Requiem for a Dream (2000), Black Swan (2010), The Whale (2022) and The Wrestler (2008), is in the driving seat of the narrative. The film features stars like Austin Butler, Zoe Kravitz, Matt Smith, Bad Bunny, Liev Schreiber, Regina King, Vincent D'Onfrio and Action Bronson. The trailer starts with introducing the protagonist, Hank, who is a bartender and is closing shop for the day when Yvonne (Zoe Kravitz) convinces him to go back to his place together. We meet his obnoxiously dressed neighbour Russ (Matt Smith), who is apparently going out of town and needs Hank to take care of his cat. Yvonne and Hank agree to what seems to be a simple enough assignment and take the cat with them. Soon enough some people come looking for Russ and assault Hank for not telling them where Russ is. They are not the only ones looking for Russ, though, and Colorado ( Bad Bunny) threatens to kill Hank if he doesn't speak up. ALSO READ: Who is the Next James Bond? Theo James, Henry Cavill, and Bridgerton stars lead the top 7 frontrunners to replace Daniel Craig as 007 Once Russ comes back, Hank confronts him and asks him about the entire mess. Russ takes him to a storage facility and shows him a tonne of stolen clothes and merchandise along with $4 million, which seems to be the reason why everyone is after Russ. He explains how everyone was 'supposed to get a cut: the Russians, the Puerto Ricans, and even the Hebrews'. All chaos ensues as Hank decides to drive into the storm rather than away from it while juggling his relationship with Yvonne, who is still wondering where they both stand romantically. Everyone under the sun starts chasing Hank, and the bartender fights back with whatever limited skill he has, considering this is a very strange world for him, and even surprises himself when he knocks one of the Russians out cold. Yvonne tells him, 'That I need a man who handles his stuff,' and Hank kisses her and says, 'I can handle this.' The trailer ends on a confusing and amusing note as Hank is seen eating dinner with the Hebrew gangsters (Liev Schreiber and Vincent D'Onfrio) who were chasing him. Caught Stealing will hit theatres on August 29.
