Latest news with #Emmy-winning
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Mountainhead' reviews: Jesse Armstrong's ‘Succession' follow-up is ‘rich in laughs' but focuses too much on ‘cruel intentionality'
Just like Succession, HBO's gone-but-not-forgotten drama series, Mountainhead comes from the satiric mind of Jesse Armstrong and focuses on a group of unserious billionaires. However, critics aren't as enthusiastic about the new TV movie as they were with its Emmy-winning predecessor. Mountainhead follows four wealthy tech bros — played by Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith, and Ramy Youssef — who meet at a swanky ski resort. Their retreat soon descends into chaos as a global crisis unfolds, exacerbated by the actions of one of their companies. More from GoldDerby 'The Handmaid's Tale' star Elisabeth Moss on directing the series finale and June's new mission: 'She has to fight a different battle now' 'The Handmaid's Tale' EPs on the series' final scene: 'It was the North Star I was aiming for the whole time' Billie Eilish sweeps 2025 American Music Awards: See all the winners Armstrong is a seven-time Emmy winner for Succession (four for writing, three for producing), but this is his feature directorial debut, and critics are well aware of the fact. Fair or not, most of the initial reviews included comparisons between Succession and Mountainhead. The new telefilm, with its runtime of 109 minutes, is "rich in laughs but lacks the substance of Succession," says Shaina Weatherhead (Collider), who adds, "If you come solely for the comedic stylings of four powerhouse actors, Mountainhead will certainly win you over if you don't take it too seriously." Christian Zilko (IndieWire) writes, "While Succession was all about delusion, with the Roy children cluelessly thinking the family business needed them while everyone maneuvered around their childish stunts, Mountainhead is all about the cruel intentionality of men who actively choose to burn down our world and just might have the competence to do it." Peter Bradshaw (The Guardian) says, "This is a movie driven by the line-by-line need for fierce, nasty, funny punched-up stuff in the dialogue, and narrative arcs and character development aren't the point. But as with Succession, this does a really good job of persuading you that, yes, this is what our overlords are really like." Addressing the satire angle that Armstrong is known for, Chris Barsanti (Slant Magazine) writes, "If there's a moral here, it might be that the only thing worse than a competitive billionaire is a bored one. By following Succession with another acid-singed comedy about a slightly different subset of 0.01 percenters, Armstrong is sticking to a kind of satire he knows well." Liz Shannon Miller (Consequence) says, "Armstrong's dialogue flows like no one else's, but there's something just a little bit unbearable about listening to stupid people talk like they're smart, and Armstrong doesn't pull away from that aspect. There was an emotional core to the Succession story ... The lads up on the mountain, meanwhile, are all about posturing amongst themselves." Mountainhead delivers "a decent amount of laughs," says Tim Grierson (The A.V. Club), who calls it "a wry smackdown of four insanely rich bros hanging out at a gaudy estate in the Utah mountains." However, the movie "is best when Armstrong puts satire aside for rage, seething at the tech kingpins destroying our society to increase their profits." Nick Schager (The Daily Beast) writes, "Prescient about the dangers posed by AI and, more pressingly, the cutthroat, avaricious, and egotistical madmen who wield it, the film is an incisive portrait of 21st-century villainy, if ultimately a satire that can't quite locate the funny in the horror." Finally, Nadia Dalimonte (Next Best Picture) says, "Mountainhead arrives at a time when reality has certainly caught up with Armstrong's sharp eye, making the film a depressingly perceptive mirror of the current state of the world." Mountainhead will premiere May 31 on HBO and Max. It will compete at the 2025 Emmys in the TV movie/limited series categories. SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Best of GoldDerby 'The dialogue is king': 'Adolescence' sound editor James Drake on the 'chaotic and intense' first episode 'The Handmaid's Tale' star Elisabeth Moss on directing the series finale and June's new mission: 'She has to fight a different battle now' 'The Pitt' star Tracy Ifeachor thinks about Collins and Robby's backstory 'all the time': 'It just didn't work out because it's not the right time' Click here to read the full article.
USA Today
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
'And Just Like That...' is still shallow (and just plain silly) in Season 3: Review
'And Just Like That...' is still shallow (and just plain silly) in Season 3: Review Show Caption Hide Caption Sarah Jessica Parker on new 'And Just Like That' season Sarah Jessica Parker reveals why audiences are rooting for Aidan and Carrie in new season of "And Just Like That." Once, Carrie Bradshaw dated a man, but something was a bit off. That could describe nearly any episode of HBO's "Sex and the City," an Emmy-winning, pop culture-revolutionizing comedy that ran from 1998 to 2004. Sarah Jessica Parker's well-dressed heroine was always on the hunt for sex, love or both, but finding Mr. Right was antithetical to the continuation of the series. You can't tell a story about dating in Manhattan if the dating is all done and dusted. "Sex" spawned one good movie, a terrible one and a revival TV show, "And Just Like That...," which returns for a third season following three of four original cast members, now in their 50s. And after a terribly tragic start to the series, we are now back to the world of Carrie dating and hesitating, this time with her ex-fiancé Aidan Shaw (John Corbett), who reentered her life in Season 2. If you enjoyed the first two seasons of Max's "That," well, you'll be happy to hear that Season 3 (streaming Thursdays, 9 ET/6 PT, ★½ out of four) does not materially change, other than further nudging aside the three main characters for stories involving newcomers Seema (Sarita Choudhury) and Lisa (Nicole Ari Parker). There are bold outfits, romantic flings, gimmicky guest stars (Rosie O'Donnell! Patti LuPone!) and ostentatious peeks at obscenely expensive New York real estate. Regretfully, the series is still as lightweight and shallow as a knockoff pair of Manolo Blahniks, unimaginative and dull, this year with a side of ATVs and "Little House on the Prairie" jokes as Carrie makes a trip down to Aidan's farm in Virginia. Three seasons in, "That" has not lost its penchant for unrealistic dialogue and making its characters unlikable and inconsistent. The scenes are exasperatingly stilted and awkward, as if they were scripted by aliens with only a vague idea of how humans behave and interact. It makes the deeply unnecessary series feel all the more inconsequential and flimsy. But we're stuck in the Hollywood reboot machine matrix, and the popular series isn't leaving Max (soon to be HBO Max). And so for a third year we meet Carrie in her well-financed widowhood, Charlotte (Kristin Davis), a prep-school mom trying to get back into the workforce, and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) exploring her queer identity. Seema still tries to fill the Samantha-sized hole in the series, and Lisa mirrors Charlotte but with marginally more interesting plots. Aidan, in his tantalizing and tight-jeans-wearing glory, is teasing Carrie from his Southern comfort, holding off a real relationship for the sake of his sons, dangling the prospect of romance in front of her without consideration for her needs. It's maddening to watch Carrie make the same mistakes with Aidan she once made with Big (Chris Noth) and half a dozen men before. The most frustrating aspect of this revival is that, in spite of all the decades that have passed in these women's lives, the characters haven't learned. I keep waiting for the series to wake up and become "Sex and the City," but perhaps it's a project as pointless as Carrie wearing flats. "That" has been so annoyingly bland and PG-13 since its 2021 debut that the few moments that recapture its heat are jarring and uncomfortable: A phone-sex flop between Carrie and Aidan takes the cringe sex scene trophy away from Miranda and Che's (Sara Ramirez) forbidden tryst in Carrie's kitchen in Season 1. These characters (and actresses) deserve more than this featherweight fluff. To see Davis forced to waste Charlotte's huffy outrage on a boring and plainly stupid plot about a case of mistaken dog identity (I kid you not) is just so wasteful. The spectrum of what creator Michael Patrick King imagines life for these women in their 50s could be remains offensively narrow. The lives of these accomplished, seemingly independent women revolve around men, petty antics and low-stakes squabbles. Even their romantic partners aren't immune from the indignities of the cartoonish plots: Charlotte's eternal mensch of a husband, Harry (Evan Handler), ends up peeing his pants in one episode. That's the level of sophisticated storytelling we're dealing with here. The disconnect between what "That" is and "Sex" was is profound, and more glaring with each season. "Sex" was inextricable from its 1990s and early 2000s setting, a commentary on that time in our culture as sexual morals shifted and the series pushed back against stereotypes about single women. The 2025 of "That" is a fantasy land where references to modern concerns and topics are boiled down to Carrie reminiscing about using maps instead of phone GPS. The ever-stylish, eminently with-it Carrie Bradshaw is reduced to making "back in my day" jokes. Back in my day, we didn't settle for lackluster slop from Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha. Only sparkle and sheen.
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
'The Morning Show' gets season 4 release date: See 1st look photos
"The Morning Show" has a season 4 release date. Apple TV+ has announced the fourth season of the popular drama series will premiere on Sept. 17. Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon return to their starring roles of Alex Levy and Bradley Jackson in the new season. Both actresses are also executive producers on season 4. This new season picks up almost two years after the events of season 3, set in the spring of 2024. "With the UBA-NBN merger complete, the newsroom must grapple with newfound responsibility, hidden motives and the elusive nature of truth in a polarized America," according to an official synopsis. "In a world rife with deepfakes, conspiracy theories and corporate cover-ups — who can you trust? And how can you know what's actually real?" Season 4 will consist of 10 episodes, that will drop weekly on Wednesdays through Nov. 19. Apple also released first-look images of the season 4 cast, which include stills of Aniston, Witherspoon and Billy Crudup in his Emmy-winning role of Cory Ellison. The season 4 ensemble cast also includes Greta Lee, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Karen Pittman, William Jackson Harper, Aaron Pierre and returning fan-favorite Jon Hamm. To celebrate the return of the beloved Apple TV+ show, Aniston shared a carousel of selfies with her costars. "We're baaa-aaack September 17 🥰🌅‼️," Anitson captioned the post.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Rick and Morty' Season 8 streaming: How to watch, episode schedule and more
We independently evaluate the products we review. When you buy via links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read more about how we vet products and deals. The Emmy-winning animated series Rick and Morty is back for its eighth season. The irreverent series about a mad scientist and his grandson's adventures across the universe premiered on Adult Swim on Sunday, May 25 at 11 p.m. ET with the first of 10 new episodes that are dropping weekly through July 27. The series, which stars Ian Cardoni, Harry Belden, Sarah Chalke, Chris Parnell, and Spencer Grammer will also be airing in over 170 countries, so whether you're in the U.S. or abroad, here's everything you need to know about how to watch Rick and Morty Season 8, including where to stream it and how to watch it with the help of a VPN if you don't have cable. Season 8 of Rick and Morty premiered on Sunday, May 25. The series won't land on streaming in the U.S. until after the entire season wraps up — so if you're used to watching Rick and Morty on HBO Max, heads up that you'll have to wait until Sept. 1 to catch Season 8. Rick and Morty airs on Adult Swim. After an entire season is finished airing, it will eventually stream on HBO Max. It is however already available to stream on HBO Max in Australia... There are several ways you can watch Rick and Morty without cable. Adult Swim is available on several platforms, including DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV. Warner Bros. Discovery has also confirmed that episodes will be available to stream in the U.S. on Max, but not until Sept. 1. While the new season of Rick and Mortys won't be immediately available on Max (you'll have to wait until it arrives on Sept. 1), you can catch the past seven seasons on demand on the platform now. If you don't have cable but still want to stream Season 8 of Rick and Morty as new episodes are released, all it takes is a VPN. By using a VPN, you can access new episodes of Rick and Morty when they air in other countries and stream them on demand after they premiere. Just note that the premiere dates may vary. For example, it's scheduled to debut June 1 in the U.K. on Channel 4's My4, and May 26 on the Australian version of HBO Max (though you'll still need your US HBO subscription to watch it). Just set your VPN location to the U.K. or Australia, respectively. A VPN (virtual private network) helps protect your data, can mask your IP address and is perhaps most popular for being especially useful in the age of streaming. Whether you're looking to watch Friends on Netflix (which left the U.S. version of the streamer back in 2019) or tune in to overseas broadcasts, a VPN can help you out. Looking to try a VPN for the first time? This guide breaks down the best VPN options for every kind of user.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Rick and Morty' Season 8 streaming: How to watch, episode schedule and more
The Emmy-winning animated series Rick and Morty is back for its eighth season. The irreverent series about a mad scientist and his grandson's adventures across the universe premiered on Adult Swim on Sunday, May 25 at 11 p.m. ET with the first of 10 new episodes that are dropping weekly through July 27. The series, which stars Ian Cardoni, Harry Belden, Sarah Chalke, Chris Parnell, and Spencer Grammer will also be airing in over 170 countries, so whether you're in the U.S. or abroad, here's everything you need to know about how to watch Rick and Morty Season 8, including where to stream it and how to watch it with the help of a VPN if you don't have cable. Season 8 of Rick and Morty premiered on Sunday, May 25. The series won't land on streaming in the U.S. until after the entire season wraps up — so if you're used to watching Rick and Morty on HBO Max, heads up that you'll have to wait until Sept. 1 to catch Season 8. Rick and Morty airs on Adult Swim. After an entire season is finished airing, it will eventually stream on HBO Max. It is however already available to stream on HBO Max in Australia... There are several ways you can watch Rick and Morty without cable. Adult Swim is available on several platforms, including DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV. Warner Bros. Discovery has also confirmed that episodes will be available to stream in the U.S. on Max, but not until Sept. 1. While the new season of Rick and Mortys won't be immediately available on Max (you'll have to wait until it arrives on Sept. 1), you can catch the past seven seasons on demand on the platform now. If you don't have cable but still want to stream Season 8 of Rick and Morty as new episodes are released, all it takes is a VPN. By using a VPN, you can access new episodes of Rick and Morty when they air in other countries and stream them on demand after they premiere. Just note that the premiere dates may vary. For example, it's scheduled to debut June 1 in the U.K. on Channel 4's My4, and May 26 on the Australian version of HBO Max (though you'll still need your US HBO subscription to watch it). Just set your VPN location to the U.K. or Australia, respectively. A VPN (virtual private network) helps protect your data, can mask your IP address and is perhaps most popular for being especially useful in the age of streaming. Whether you're looking to watch Friends on Netflix (which left the U.S. version of the streamer back in 2019) or tune in to overseas broadcasts, a VPN can help you out. Looking to try a VPN for the first time? This guide breaks down the best VPN options for every kind of user.
