Latest news with #District13
Digital Trends
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
3 underrated HBO Max movies you should watch this weekend (June 6-8)
Fans of Succession will be surprised to see that Jesse Armstrong has returned from his brief hiatus with a new project, Mountainhead. The movie was written and filmed earlier this year. It's now on HBO Max. Now that's efficiency. No one knows how to dump on the rich better than Armstrong. One of the highlights this month is the first four Hunger Games movies. One of the entries, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1, is on this list of underrated movies to watch this weekend. Check out all of our picks below. Recommended Videos We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) Looking back at the 2010s, the Hunger Games franchise dominated pop culture thanks to memorable phrases like 'I volunteer as tribute' and the arrival of Jennifer Lawrence as an A-list star. The first two movies are significantly better than the final two in the quartet. That being said, Mockingjay — Part 1 is arguably the most politically charged of the four movies. After escaping the arena in Catching Fire, Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) is transported to the underground District 13, where the rebels prepare their attack against the Capitol. Katniss must embrace her Mockingjay identity and become the symbol of hope. The Hanging Tree scene and the final cliffhanger with Peeta are two of the top 10 moments of the franchise. Stream The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 on Max. Tangerine (2015) Sean Baker became the talk of the town this past year with Anora. The off-the-rails dramedy won five Oscars, with Baker becoming the first person to win four for one movie. With Baker's Oscar win still fresh, revisit Tangerine, the movie considered by many as his breakthrough. Like most of Baker's protagonists, Tangerine features sex workers at the center of the story. Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) is a trans sex worker fresh out of a short stint in prison. After finding out her pimp cheated on her, Sin-Dee and fellow trans sex worker Alexandra (Mya Taylor) set out on a journey across Los Angeles to find him. Tangerine highlights Baker's best qualities — do-everything filmmaking, innovative style, visual flair (shot on iPhones), and expertise in balancing comedy with drama. Stream Tangerine on Max. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009) Before he investigated the Yellow King and piloted a mission across the galaxy, Matthew McConaughey was Mr. Rom-Com. Ghost of Girlfriends Past is the final movie in his rom-com run before taking a break to reevaluate his career. In this interpretation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, McConaughey plays Connor Mead, a playboy bachelor who holds multiple relationships with women at once. The day before his brother's wedding, Connor runs into Jenny Perotti (Jennifer Garner), the one who got away. After making a fool of himself, Connor encounters the spirit of his late uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas), who says he will be visited by ghosts of his romantic past, present, and future. Dickens' fans can rest easy knowing Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is not better than its source material. However, the B-movie is a charming showcase for McConaughey and Garner. Stream Ghosts of Girlfriends Past on Max.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jesse Plemons Once Played Late Philip Seymour Hoffman's Son Before Taking on His 'Hunger Games' Character for Upcoming Prequel
Jesse Plemons has been cast as Plutarch Heavensbee in the film adaptation of prequel novel Plutarch Heavensbee was previously portrayed by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in and Plemons has a special connection with Hoffman, having played his son in a previous movie Jesse Plemons is following in the late Philip Seymour Hoffman's footsteps. On Friday, April 25, it was announced that Plemons will portray a young Plutarch Heavensbee in Sunrise on the Reaping, the upcoming screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' hit Hunger Games prequel novel. Hoffman, who died in 2014 at age 46, played that character in the original Hunger Games movies. The most recent casting announcement for Sunrise on the Reaping, the upcoming screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' hit Hunger Games prequel novel, revealed that Plemons, 37, will play a young Plutarch Heavensbee. Hoffman, who died in 2014 at age 46, played that character in the original Hunger Games movies. It's something of a full-circle moment for Plemons, 37, who worked with the late actor once before: in the Oscar-nominated 2012 drama The Master. Plemons portrayed Val Dodd, son of Hoffman's Lancaster Dodd, in the Paul Thomas Anderson film. Related: Philip Seymour Hoffman: Read PEOPLE's Cover Story About His 'Very Dark' Last Days 11 Years After His Death 'Jesse is one of the most talented actors of his generation, with a proven record of picking his roles selectively,' Erin Westerman, co-president, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, said in a statement. 'We are honored that he has chosen to bring his own take to one of the most fascinating figures in Panem, and feel that his previous collaboration with Philip Seymour Hoffman makes it all the more special.' Hoffman's performances in the two-part The Hunger Games: Mockingjay movies, released in 2014 and 2015, were among his last. That franchise starred Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Jeffrey Wright, Donald Sutherland and more. In Collins' YA novels and the original Hunger Games tetralogy, Plutarch Heavensbee was head gamemaker of the titular games — and secretly a rebellion leader who ends up a commander in Panem's District 13. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Sunrise on the Reaping, led by franchise veteran director Francis Lawrence, has cast Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy; Whitney Peak as his character's girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird; and Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner. More casting announcements are forthcoming. While distributor Lionsgate's screen adaptation was announced months ago, Collins' Sunrise on the Reaping novel only came out on March 18. The novel takes place between the original Hunger Games trilogy and prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. At this point in the franchise's timeline, Plutarch Heavensbee is a cameraman staging the selection of Games tributes, or reaping, in District 12. Related: Twister Director Reflects on Working with Late Bill Paxton and Philip Seymour Hoffman: They Were 'Shapeshifters' Sunrise on the Reaping will return fans to the Hunger Games arena on Nov. 20, 2026. Plemons also stars in Yorgos Lanthimos' upcoming film Bugonia, in theaters Nov. 7. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rock Falls elementary school superintendent retiring after decades of service
Jan. 30—ROCK FALLS — After almost 30 years of service, Superintendent Dan Arickx is saying goodbye to Rock Falls Elementary School District 13. Arickx plans to retire at the end of the school year. Before serving as District 13's superintendent for the past 15 years, he was Merrill Elementary School's principal for six years and taught eighth-grade math at Rock Falls Middle School for eight years before that. Despite his lengthy career, Arickx did not always plan to become an educator. "I always knew I wanted to do something with math, and so when I first went to college, I was planning on becoming an accountant," Arickx said. "But I realized that wasn't what I wanted to do, and after some thinking, I realized how much I enjoyed working with kids. So, I decided to go into education and never looked back." Arickx is proud of the progress he has made in District 13, especially in expanding preschool access and enhancing counseling services for students. He also spearheaded the creation of new cafeterias and the installation of upgraded heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at both Dillon and Merrill elementary schools. "When I started here we had one counselor," Arickx said. "Since then, we've added counselors so that there is at least one counselor in every building. Another thing I'm proud of is being able to reduce a lot of our class sizes to 20 or fewer students." Over the years, Arickx also has experienced his share of challenges as superintendent, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when state funding for schools was largely dependent upon following state guidelines, he said. "We had a lot of people that did not like those guidelines and wanted us to drop them and just not get the funding," Arickx said. "But that's 70% of our funding and is just not possible. So, there were a lot of upset parents and families. We had board members who were torn on what to do. But the bottom line is, we did what we had to do to get the kids the education that they needed while still being able to get state funding." Arickx said he cherishes the many relationships he has made with staff, students and their families but is looking forward to enjoying his retirement. "I've seen too many people hang on for too long, and then they weren't able to enjoy their retirement," Arickx said. "I've been to Iceland and the Gulf of Mexico, and I'd really like to travel to Greenland someday. I might try picking up golf again." Even though he is retiring from education, Arickx still plans to serve his community. He is on the board of directors for the Sterling-Rock Falls Family YMCA and also is a member of the Rock Falls Optimist Club. Streator Elementary School District 44 Superintendent Kelli Virgil is expected to take over Arickx's position once her contract is finalized, which is expected to happen in time to introduce her at February's board meeting. Arickx left Virgil with these parting words during an interview with Shaw Local: "You have an amazing administrative team, a great group of building principals and staff, so be sure to collaborate with them whenever possible."
