Latest news with #NathanFielder
Elle
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
'Industry,' the 'Andor' Cast, and More of the Biggest Snubs From the Emmy Nominations
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Another volatile year for the television industry has come and gone. Yet even in the face of economic and creative headwinds, Hollywood has managed to produce its fair share of bangers: Severance season 2, The White Lotus season 3, Andor season 2, The Pitt, Industry season 3, Squid Game season 2, The Studio, The Penguin, Adolescence, Black Mirror season 7, Hacks season 4, The Last of Us season 2. These critically acclaimed shows all captured our attention during this season's Emmys eligibility window—from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025—and, as announced this morning, many of the same series also captured Emmy voters' hearts. But the favor of the Emmy ballot is fickle, and a number of well-deserving entries lost their chance at a little gold statuette this year. Fans are probably already furious about Industry. What happened to Overcompensating? And will Nathan Fielder ever get the attention he deserves? Ahead of the ceremony, set to air on September 14, let's break down the biggest snubs and surprises from this year's list of nominees. Andor is without a doubt one of the best (if not the best) Star Wars series on television. But I'd argue it's also one of the best series on television, period. Political but not didactic, action-packed but character-driven, as interested in the sacrifices of revolution as the rewards, Andor season 2 was a seminal viewing experience—even for those less inclined to trust in the Force. It's a joy to see the show nominated in the Outstanding Drama Series category, though my pleasure is tempered by the frustration of watching Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgård, Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, Genevieve O'Reilly, Benjamin Bratt, and Adria Arjona miss out on their deserved acting nominations. (Forest Whitaker got a nod for Guest Actor in a Drama Series, though.) Justice for Luna, in particular—with Cassian Andor, he gave us a hero's journey unlike anything we've seen from the Skywalkers. More of this, Disney. Please. —Lauren Puckett-Pope, culture writer It's no secret I'm an Industry evangelist. I've been a fan of the HBO finance drama since its fledgling seasons, but the series has only grown more compelling—and its cast buzzier—with each additional chapter. Before Kit Harington joined the show in season 3, Myha'la, Marisa Abela, Ken Leung, Harry Lawtey, and co. were already doing a bang-up job depicting the in-fighting amongst a group of London investment bankers. But as the aristocratic Henry Muck, Harrington added a delicious infusion of charm, snobbery, sleaze, and practiced vulnerability-slash-incompetence. Combine his performance with the others', including Sagar Radia's pulse-pounding turn as Rishi Ramdani, and Industry season 4 should have had Emmy voters betting big. Alas, the market failed them this time as the HBO series earned no nominations. But if we've learned anything about Harper Stern, it's that she always has another move up her sleeve. —LPP With such a stacked (and extensive) cast, The White Lotus season 3 couldn't possibly have secured Emmy nods for all of its actors. Still, it was interesting to see which actors earned a chance at taking the stage—and which will have to watch from the audience. Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, and Sam Rockwell all received nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. And on the Outstanding Supporting Actress front, we have Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, and Aimee Lou Wood. Scott Glenn also received a nod for Outstanding Guest Actor. However, notable snubs are Patrick Schwarzenegger, Leslie Bibb, and Michelle Monaghan. But they still might get the chance to grace the stage, as The White Lotus received a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series.—Juliana Ukiomogbe, contributor Despite its headline-making insights on air-traffic control, Nathan Fielder's HBO series The Rehearsal did not receive a Comedy Series nomination. (Though, it did earn nods for directing, writing, and editing.) Perhaps Fielder is operating on a level the Academy can't quite grasp yet. In just six episodes, he incorporated a one-of-a-kind biopic of Sully Sullenberger, a real singing competition, a genius needle drop of Evanescence's 'Bring Me to Life,' insightful commentary on airplane safety, and his own real-life training to fly (and land) a commercial aircraft. All of that is a feat not only for Fielder but also for HBO's legal team! This isn't the first time the TV Academy has snubbed the comedian; his and Emma Stone's brilliantly cringe series The Curse was shut out at last year's ceremony too. The kind of never-before-seen television Fielder makes should be awarded, not ignored. —Erica Gonzales, deputy editor, culture Squid Game's third and final season did not premiere during this year's eligibility period, but its long-awaited second season did. This earlier and less chaotic chapter still showed off Lee's superb range, but with such stiff competition, he was unable to get a nod in the race for Lead Actor in a Drama Series. (His performance in Disney+'s The Acolyte was also snubbed.) And to think just three years ago, Lee made history with his Emmy win in this same category. Let's see how season 3 fares next year. —EG Despite boasting an all-star cast—including Emmy winner Jon Hamm!—and some critical praise, Apple TV+'s buzzy new rich people satire, Your & Friends Neighbors, didn't get any major nominations. Its only nod is for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music, but at least the series has already been renewed for another season, so they'll have another go next year. —EG Hulu's post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller Paradise became a surprise hit earlier this year, with Sterling K. Brown's depiction of Secret Service agent Xavier Collins drawing particular praise. Brown is already a three-time Emmy winner—for American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson, This Is Us, and Lincoln: Divided We Stand—and he absolutely deserves another shot at the spotlight for Paradise. Thankfully, he received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Other Paradise nominations include Outstanding Drama Series, James Marsden for Outstanding Supporting Actor, and Julianne Nicholson for Outstanding Supporting Actress.—JU With such heavy-hitters as Severance, The White Lotus, The Bear, The Penguin, and others gobbling up dozens of nomination slots, there were bound to be a handful of series the Television Academy would overlook. This year, those shows included Interview With the Vampire (which only earned makeup and hairstyling nominations), Somebody Somewhere (which got writing and supporting actor nods), Agatha All Along (which got nods for music and costumes), and Black Doves and Running Point (which both got zero nods). The historical FX drama Say Nothing was also shut out, earning only a nomination for Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, despite high praise from critics last fall. —LPP Netflix's The Four Seasons was one of the sleeper hits of the year—and it was recently renewed for a second season. The series, based on the 1981 film of the same name, boasts an ensemble cast: Tina Fey (who also created the show), Steve Carell, Will Forte, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Erika Henningsen, and Marco Calvani. But it was Colman Domingo—and his chic wardrobe—that left the biggest impression. Domingo earned a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, and if he takes it home, he'll become a two-time winner, having previously won Outstanding Guest Actor for his role as Ali in Euphoria. —JU Chalamet and Grande are unfortunately no closer to EGOT status. Despite successfully tackling one of the toughest gigs in television—yes, I'm talking about guest-hosting Saturday Night Live—neither Bungee Queen nor Antonio could sway ballots their way. Maybe after they book their next Oscar-winning film role, they'll have a better shot. —LPP Look, clearly Taylor Sheridan doesn't need Emmy voters' approval to enjoy his massive success. The Yellowstone creator has launched an entire cinematic universe around his name, and even though Yellowstone itself wrapped up last year, its multiple spin-off series are just getting started. With or without the Emmys, the Dutton Ranch will persist. Still, it's nevertheless worth noting that this year's Emmy voters turned up their noses at Sheridan's Landman, despite its relatively warm critical reception. —LPP The surprise here isn't so much Aduba's talent (the Orange Is the New Black alum already has three trophies to her name) but that voters gave The Residence more attention than its own streamer. Netflix canceled the playful, White House-set murder mystery after only one season, but that didn't stop Aduba from earning a nod for her portrayal of no-nonsense detective and bird watcher Cordelia Cupp. —EG Though the second season of Apple TV+'s Bad Sisters didn't garner as much buzz as the first one (which earned four Emmy nominations), it still got some love. Sharon Horgan received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. She's nominated alongside Kathy Bates (Matlock), Britt Lower (Severance), Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us), and Keri Russell (The Diplomat). —JU Although the Hulu drama has historically scooped up nominations (and famously set a record for Emmys losses), you'd think the voters would follow tradition and give the series a little bit of extra love for its sixth and final season. (Especially Elisabeth Moss and Bradley Whitford.) But the series didn't make much noise with the Academy—only nabbing a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series (Cherry Jones). At least they have The Testaments in the works. —EG It's really Meghann Fahy season. After being nominated for her first Emmy in the supporting category for The White Lotus, she finally got her lead actress nod for Sirens. Though the Netflix dark comedy boasts an impressive cast with Julianne Moore, Milly Alcock, and Kevin Bacon, Fahy was the only one to receive an acting nomination for the series. She's in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series category alongside Cate Blanchett (Disclaimer), Rashida Jones (Black Mirror), Michelle Williams (Dying for Sex), and Cristin Milioti (The Penguin). —JU Not only did Kendrick Lamar bring his diss track 'Not Like Us' to the Super Bowl, but he also just got an Emmy nomination for it. For Outstanding Variety Special (Live), Lamar received a nod for his Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show performance. He's also represented in the categories for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special, Outstanding Music Direction, and Choreography (Variety/Reality). His work wife Beyoncé was also nominated for Outstanding Variety Special, Outstanding Production Design, Outstanding Choreography, and Outstanding Directing for Beyoncé Bowl, her NFL Christmas Day Halftime Show. —JU Look, I know that Julio Torres's lovably bizarre, surrealist HBO series was probably not going to garner enough buzz to stand up to The Bear, Abbott Elementary, or Hacks; but this is, again, another case of creativity being overlooked for a mainstream favorite. Not to say the others aren't deserving, but Torres and his cast and crew should get credit for breaking the boundaries of television and making viewers actually laugh as they do it. Pirulinpinpina, you are a winner to me! —EG Benito Skinner created a new fan-favorite with his TV debut, Overcompensating, in which he stars as a closeted college student trying to navigate his freshman year. Despite laugh-out-loud jokes, a Charli xcx cameo, and a killer 2016-era soundtrack, the buzz among viewers and on TikTok was not enough to push the comedy series into the Emmys race. This is just the start of Skinner's TV career, though; hopefully we get another season and even more from him onscreen in the future. —EG
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
2025 Emmy nominations predictions: Our expert's picks in 15 major categories
Emmy nominations arrive Tuesday, and there will be plenty of time for us to argue about who should win (let's start with 'The Pitt') and why this could be the year (though probably not) that we'll have a surprise or two when the trophies are handed out on Sept. 14. In the meantime, if you love 'Severance,' 'The White Lotus,' 'The Pitt,' 'The Studio,' 'Hacks' and 'Adolescence,' you will find plenty of reasons to smile. These are the shows that are going to steamroll through the nominations. If you belong to the 'What We Do in the Shadows' cult and want a tip of the hat for its final season, you're probably in luck. And if your comic taste embraces the absurd, and you have complicated feelings about air travel, you might be disappointed that Nathan Fielder's 'The Rehearsal' is left out of comedy series, though Fielder could earn a nod for his direction. Attaboy, Captain! Who else will be flying high when nominations are announced? Let's take a look. COMEDY SERIES'Abbott Elementary''The Bear''Hacks''Nobody Wants This''Only Murders in the Building''Shrinking''The Studio''What We Do in the Shadows' Possible surprise: 'The Four Seasons'Possible 'snub': 'What We Do in the Shadows' 'The Bear' won 11 Emmys last year, the most wins ever for a comedy series in a single ceremony. But that record was lost on viewers when 'Hacks' won the final Emmy of the evening, besting 'The Bear' for comedy series. 'The Bear' has been sliding with critics, going from a 92 rating on review aggregator Metacritic for its second season to an 80 for its third and a 73 for its just-released fourth season. Sometimes I wonder if the naysayers are taking the time to consider the whole picture and the patient, deliberate way 'The Bear' shows the difficulties in breaking free from addiction and familial dysfunction. Because the show's new seasons arrive in June, there's some overlap between what voters are watching (the latest episodes) and what they're supposed to be voting for (the episodes that came out a year ago). The new season was exceptional, ending in a showcase for its primary actors and providing well-earned catharsis for their characters. I don't know if 'The Bear' will win any Emmys this year, but the nominations will still be plentiful — and deserved. COMEDY ACTRESSKristen Bell, 'Nobody Wants This'Quinta Brunson, 'Abbott Elementary'Ayo Edebiri, 'The Bear'Natasha Lyonne, 'Poker Face'Jean Smart, 'Hacks' Possible surprise: Selena Gomez, 'Only Murders in the Building'Possible 'snub': Lyonne As always, it's an honor to be nominated. And in a category that includes Smart, a nomination will be as far as it goes for the four women joining her. Edebiri and Brunson are sure bets to return. Bell has never been nominated, though she was a delight on 'The Good Place.' She should break through for 'Nobody Wants This,' the most easily binged contender this Emmy season. But voters could go any number of ways here, opting for past Emmy favorites like Tina Fey ('The Four Seasons'), Kathryn Hahn ('Agatha All Along') or Uzo Aduba ('The Residence'). Or they could re-up Gomez, who received her first acting nomination last year, or Lyonne, recognized two years ago for the first season of 'Poker Face.' COMEDY ACTORAdam Brody, 'Nobody Wants This' Seth Rogen, 'The Studio'Jason Segel, 'Shrinking'Martin Short, 'Only Murders in the Building'Jeremy Allen White, 'The Bear' Possible surprise: Steve Martin, 'Only Murders in the Building'Possible 'snub': Segel As with comedy actress, this category has one less nominee slot this year, which could be bad news for veterans Martin and Ted Danson ('A Man on the Inside'). If Bell earns a nomination for lead actress, how could you leave out Brody? And if you laud Short, how do you neglect Martin? (That happened two years ago, when the field was five.) But if Emmy voters were paying attention — and that is, admittedly, a big if — they'd remember that it's Martin who carried the emotional weight of the past season of 'Only Murders,' his character grieving the guilt from the loss of his longtime stunt double and friend (played by Jane Lynch). COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTRESSLiza Colón-Zayas, 'The Bear'Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks'Kathryn Hahn, 'The Studio'Janelle James, 'Abbott Elementary'Catherine O'Hara, 'The Studio'Sheryl Lee Ralph, 'Abbott Elementary'Jessica Williams, 'Shrinking' Possible surprise: Megan Stalter, 'Hacks'Possible 'snub': Hahn There's more room in the supporting categories, which sport seven spots. That should be good news for Hahn, consistently the most delightful actor working in television today. She could well be a double nominee for her profane, force-of-nature marketing exec on 'The Studio' and for her lead turn in the Marvel spinoff 'Agatha All Along.' She could also somehow be shut out completely. (Let's not go there.) COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTORIke Barinholtz, 'The Studio'Paul Downs, 'Hacks'Harrison Ford, 'Shrinking'Ebon Moss-Bachrach, 'The Bear'Tyler James Williams, 'Abbott Elementary'Michael Urie, 'Shrinking'Bowen Yang, 'Saturday Night Live' Possible surprise: Colman Domingo, 'The Four Seasons'Possible 'snub': Urie 'The Four Seasons' was a bit of a snooze, but I was nudged awake every time Domingo came onscreen. Will older voters have a soft spot for this featherweight Gen X friends drama, or were they just watching to take notes on places to visit in upstate New York? Netflix campaigners excel at vacuuming up nominations, so it wouldn't be surprising if 'The Four Seasons' outperforms expectations. DRAMA SERIES'Andor''The Diplomat''The Last of Us''Paradise''The Pitt''Severance''Slow Horses''The White Lotus' Possible surprise: 'Squid Game'Possible 'snub': 'Paradise' The first season of 'Andor' earned 8 nominations and it could well surpass that for its second and final go-round, one that leaned into a pointed critique of authoritarianism, showing how easily a democracy can erode into fascism. The category's last spot is a toss-up between the disappointing second season of 'Squid Game,' which felt bloated even at just seven episodes, and 'Paradise,' another dystopian drama, but a lot more fun, even with all the overwrought '80s covers. DRAMA ACTRESSKathy Bates, 'Matlock'Britt Lower, 'Severance'Elisabeth Moss, 'The Handmaid's Tale'Bella Ramsey, 'The Last of Us'Keri Russell, 'The Diplomat' No 'snubs.' No surprises. These are the nominees. And jumping ahead, to answer your question: Yes, Kathy Bates has won an Emmy — two, in fact. If you saw her on 'American Horror Story: Coven' somehow making a serial killer and slave abuser almost sympathetic, you know that particular Emmy was earned. And I'm not sure if she had more than two minutes of running time for the guest turn on 'Two and a Half Men,' for which she won her first Emmy, but watching her spot-on imitation of Charlie Sheen as the ghost of Charlie Harper, I can't argue with the choice. DRAMA ACTORSterling K. Brown, 'Paradise'Gary Oldman, 'Slow Horses'Pedro Pascal, 'The Last of Us'Adam Scott, 'Severance'Noah Wyle, 'The Pitt' Again, no 'snubs.' No surprises. Unless the nerds in the actors branch go all in for Diego Luna in 'Andor.' DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTRESSCarrie Coon, 'The White Lotus'Taylor Dearden, 'The Pitt'Allison Janney, 'The Diplomat'Katherine LaNasa, 'The Pitt'Parker Posey, 'The White Lotus'Natasha Rothwell, 'The White Lotus'Aimee Lou Wood, 'The White Lotus' Possible surprise: Leslie Bibb, 'The White Lotus'Possible 'snub': Dearden 'The White Lotus' snagged four nominations in this category for its second season, with Jennifer Coolidge winning. I'd expect the widely seen third season to at least equal that and possibly exceed it if voters go with Bibb. Meanwhile, 'The Pitt,' featuring an ensemble with more fully realized characters, will have to settle for a one or two nods. (I'll need Dr. King's calm, caring support if Dearden isn't nominated.) What will it take to break through this two-show category blockade? Just an actor owning seven Emmys. Janney doesn't need a spot on 'The Pitt' or 'The White Lotus' to make it in, though wouldn't it be fun if she showed up on the next season of one of these shows? DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTORWalton Goggins, 'The White Lotus'Jason Isaacs, 'The White Lotus'Jack Lowden, 'Slow Horses'Sam Rockwell, 'The White Lotus'Patrick Schwarzenegger, 'The White Lotus'Tramell Tillman, 'Severance'John Turturro, 'Severance' Possible surprise: Patrick Ball, 'The Pitt'Possible 'snub': Schwarzenegger Do all the 'White Lotus' men make the cut too? Possibly. Though, again, it'd be nice to even things out a bit and include Ball, so good as the troubled Dr. Langdon on 'The Pitt.' Given the character's ambiguous fate, this might be the only chance to nominate Ball. Lowden earned his first nomination last year, alongside 'Slow Horses' castmate Jonathan Pryce. With the show's latest season hinging on the emotional relationship between their characters, there's a chance they both could return. LIMITED SERIES'Adolescence''Dying for Sex''Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story''The Penguin''Say Nothing' Possible surprise: 'Disclaimer'Possible 'snub': 'Say Nothing' Perhaps I'm underestimating 'Disclaimer,' Alfonso Cuarón's pulpy psychological thriller. Expectations were high; Apple TV+ had the chutzpah to show it at both the Venice and Telluride film festivals last year. But its pleasures and narrative momentum dissipated rather rapidly over the course of its seven episodes. I don't know anyone who managed to finish it. Yet, in a weak year for limited series, it might make it in on name value alone. LIMITED SERIES/MOVIE ACTRESSCate Blanchett, 'Disclaimer'Kaitlyn Dever, 'Apple Cider Vinegar'Cristin Milioti, 'The Penguin'Michelle Williams, 'Dying for Sex'Renée Zellweger, 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy' Possible surprise: Ellen Pompeo, 'Good American Family'Possible 'snub': Dever Zellweger won an Oscar for playing the plucky farmer in 'Cold Mountain' and a deteriorating Judy Garland in 'Judy.' And, given the film academy's aversion to humor, it might surprise you to learn that she earned a lead actress nomination for the first 'Bridget Jones' movie in 2002. Now, more than two decades later, Zellweger has a shot at her first Emmy nomination for the fourth film in the series. It's her signature role. Give her the nod and the Emmy too. LIMITED SERIES/MOVIE ACTORColin Farrell, 'The Penguin'Stephen Graham, 'Adolescence'Brian Tyree Henry, 'Dope Thief'Kevin Kline, 'Disclaimer'Cooper Koch, 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' Graham figures to be nominated for 'Adolescence' as a producer, actor and writer. (He wrote all four episodes with series co-creator Jack Thorne.) He's excellent playing Eddie, the shell-shocked dad, particularly in the series' final episode, which has his character dealing with the aftermath of his son's arrest, trying to have normal life, a happy birthday, while plagued by doubts that what happened was somehow his fault. Graham deserves the Emmy for the last scene, where Eddie goes into his son's room, tucks in his teddy bear and whispers, 'I'm sorry, son. I should've done better.' LIMITED SERIES/MOVIE SUPPORTING ACTRESSErin Doherty, 'Adolescence'Deirdre O'Connell, 'The Penguin'Imogen Faith Reid, 'Good American Family'Chloë Sevigny, 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story'Jenny Slate, 'Dying for Sex'Christine Tremarco, 'Adolescence' Possible surprise: Lesley Manville, 'Disclaimer'Possible 'snub': Reid Doherty will likely win for the series' third episode, the taut two-hander with Owen Cooper. But, again, the fourth episode is just as good — maybe even better — featuring a heart-rending turn from Tremarco as the mom trying to hold it together. LIMITED SERIES/MOVIE SUPPORTING ACTORJavier Bardem, 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story'Owen Cooper, 'Adolescence'Rob Delaney, 'Dying for Sex'Rhenzy Feliz, 'The Penguin'Peter Sarsgaard, 'Presumed Innocent'Ashley Walters, 'Adolescence' Possible surprise: Clancy Brown, 'The Penguin'Possible 'snub': Sarsgaard Cooper will soon become the fifth teen actor to win a Primetime Emmy. Next up: A juicy role in Emerald Fennell's adaptation of 'Wuthering Heights.'
TimesLIVE
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
The limits of cringe comedy
In the first season of The Rehearsal in 2022, comedian Nathan Fielder established himself as the deadpan, awkward king of cringe-fest comedy. Predicated on the premise that it would help people to navigate difficult situations in their lives by rehearsing for them beforehand, Fielder used lots of HBO's money to construct elaborate sets that allowed slightly bemused, ordinary people to prepare for any eventuality before stepping into their real-world challenges. The problem was, as the show so brilliantly demonstrated, no matter how hard you might prepare, life can always find a way to throw you a curve ball...
Forbes
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Nathan Fielder's The Rehearsal is One of Many Genre-Defying Projects.
Nathan Fielder outside of his full-scale replica of Brooklyn's Alligator Lounge bar from The ... More Rehearsal on April 14, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO) Sometimes, art imitates life. And sometimes life is a movie. One that imitates life, which imitates art. In season two of HBO's hit comedy series The Rehearsal, comedian and performance artist Nathan Fielder blurs life, art, and TV. He uses his network resources to go big, examining plane crashes and how pilots communicate in the cockpit. Fielder, in typical fashion, takes hair brained ideas to the extreme. Often small details are inflated to comedic levels but prove tangential to the episode. The series, like his Comedy Central series Nathan For You, features Fielder playing a version of himself, working with real people and actors in a kaleidoscopic genre-bending performance art that might be described as quasi-investigative comedic documentary. Alexandra Tanner at The Point describes The Rehearsal: Canadian comedian Nathan Fielder of the Comedy Central show "Nathan For You" comes forward as the ... More brainchild of "Dumb Starbucks," a parody store that resembles a Starbucks with a green awning and mermaid logo, but with the word "Dumb" attached above the Starbucks sign. Starbucks Coffee spokeswoman, Laurel Harper says the store is not affiliated with Starbucks and, despite the humor, the store cannot use the Starbucks name. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) The art critic Dean Kissick in a column for Spike Art Magazine tries to make sense of the life-and-art collapse, As the world around us gets weirder, reality and fiction get ever closer. Here are eight more movies (and one book) for anyone interested in movies that incorporate polymathic combinations of art, film, fiction, and non-fiction. Secret Mall Apartment (2024), dir. Jeremy Workman In 2003, a group of eight artists in Providence, Rhode Island snuck into the local mall and set up a clandestine apartment inside an overlooked gap in the building's architecture. Led by artists Michael Townsend and Adriana Valdez Young, the crew spent four years hanging out in their clubhouse, right under the noses of mall security. With a small hidden camera, they documented their long-term art performance, using the quirks of the mall architecture to expand their joke into something deeply serious. Is it life or art? And is this a documentary or just a snapshot of their time spent deep within the 'nowhere space' of the mall? Pee Wee as Himself (2025), dir. Matt Wolf As a kid growing up, I didn't understand that Pee Wee Herman was played by Paul Reubens. The network TV show Pee Wee's Playhouse and the movie Pee Wee's Big Adventure both loomed large, but Paul Reubens, the comedian and artist behind the show, was a mystery. Reubens had purposely foregrounded his alter ego Pee Wee and hid himself from the public spotlight, making appearances on TV shows like The Tonight Show with David Letterman as the character. Pee Wee as Himself is an intimate portrait of Reubens, and sheds light on the man behind the character. The documentary draws on 40 hours of interviews with Reubens, who initiated the documentary while secretly battling cancer. It traces his start growing up in Sarasota, Florida around the circus performers of the The Ringling Brothers, which was headquartered there. It then shows the influence of Reubens's time in art school at CalArts and his experience with the improv group The Groundlings, where he worked with comedians such as Phil Hartman. The character of Pee Wee was an amalgamation of 1950s kids shows like The Shari Lewis Show and the the freneticism of the 1980s LA punk scene. All were swirled together to take performance and pop art into the mainstream in what Reubens described as 'live action cartoons.' Citizen Wiener (2024), dir. Daniel Robbins When the film industry (and everything else) shut down in 2020, actor Zack Wiener was living with his mom on New York City's Upper West Side. He decided to make a movie by running for city council, taking on Manhattan political stalwart Gale Brewer. With a real campaign staff of actors and his friends, he sets out on an extended Jackass-like adventure that is simultaneously sincere and completely ridiculous. (2025), dir. Peter Vack This fictional tale collapses the internet, theater, and the movie screen into a dystopian world where, with the creation of a world blurring online and offline, the three merge into a secret fourth thing. Rachel (Betsey Brown) is trapped in an advertising firm's experiment for which she is made to give user feedback about Mommy 6.0, a pop star. The film has been surrounded by controversy, as a group of New York's downtown art crowd gathered at the Daryl Roth Theatre to film several scenes, which most poignantly comment on what it means to be online today with pressures from both commercial forces and our peers. Videoheaven (2025), dir. Alex Ross Perry Taking the form of an academic essay, Alex Ross Perry's encyclopedic Videoheaven tells the story of the video store in popular culture. Rather than rely on simple nostalgia, the three-hour epic collage uses clips from mainstream and cult films to portray video stores as a third space and cultural touchpoint—sometimes positively, and sometimes less so. Like many academic essays, it can be at times overwhelming to follow both Maya Hawke's dense narration and the action in the associated clips. However, the movie ultimately tells a beautiful story of the video store's complex evolution from an underground portal to new worlds, to ubiquitous sterile corporate space, to zombified ruin. Videoheaven will be showing July 2-5 at IFC Center in New York, with wide release later this year. The Code (2025), dir. Eugene Kotlyarenko The Code is director Eugene Kotlyarenko's latest project. Set in the surreality of the Covid-19 pandemic, it utilizes a toolbelt of different cameras–from cell phones to spy sunglasses to surveillance cams–to construct a kaleidoscopic film. Celine (Dasha Nekrasova) and Jay (Peter Vack) are trying to repair their relationship. All the while, Celine makes a movie about it. Set in a rental house in the desert, the film weaves traditional movie shots, security cameras, phone cameras, screen recordings, and handheld 'documentary' footage, building a unique visual language that mirrors the layered story being told. Pavements (2024), dir. Alex Ross Perry Is it a documentary, a biopic, or a musical? And is it about music history, a reunion tour, or an exhibition? Yes. Alex Ross Perry's chaotic dive into the indie band Pavement follows them on a 2022 reunion tour and traces their history alongside their late spike in popularity. Instead of opting for the documentary format's neat combination of past and filming of the present, Perry serves up a maximalism that plays with reality, taking viewers through a chaotic reconstruction of Pavement's rise and fall via a Broadway style musical and biopic with Hollywood actors. For fans of the band, it is a nostalgic journey across the career of the genre-defining slacker rock band which made a deep impression on their generation. For those unfamiliar with Pavement, it is a wild, multi-angled glimpse of that angst-ridden era of rock music: the 1990s. It will be available for streaming on July 11 via Mubi. Bonus Book: Everything is Now: The 1960s New York Avant-Garde—Primal Happenings, Underground Movies, Radical Pop (2025) by J. Hoberman J. Hoberman's expansive history of 1960s New York shows the range of creative experimentation and influence of the period. From artists Yayoi Kusama and Andy Warhol, to comedian Lenny Bruce and jazz musician Ornette Coleman, the explosion of creative output was tied directly to the social proximity of the neighborhoods—beginning with the Beats of the 1950s, and moving through Fluxus art movement, underground film, and everything in between. As cultural critic Mike Davis says on the book's jacket, 'J Hoberman is simply the best historian of that hallucinatory decade when politics imitated celluloid and movies invaded reality.' The Rehearsal wouldn't be possible without it.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Evanescence's ‘The Rehearsal' Synch Flies to Top TV Songs Chart No. 1
After appearing in the second season of HBO's The Rehearsal twice in the month of May, Evanescence's 'Bring Me to Life' reaches No. 1 on Billboard's Top TV Songs chart, powered by Tunefind (a Songtradr company), for May 2025. Rankings for the Top TV Songs chart are based on song and show data provided by Tunefind and ranked using a formula blending that data with sales and streaming information tracked by Luminate during the corresponding period of May 2025. More from Billboard El Fantasma Claims Eighth No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay Chart With 'Ya Me Vale Madre' Khalil Fong and Tanya Chua Named Best Male and Female Singers at the 3rd Wave Music Awards Doechii & Tyler, the Creator Preview Pharrell-Produced 'Get Right' Collab During Louis Vuitton Paris Show 'Bring Me to Life,' which features vocals from Paul McCoy, was first heard in the third episode of the Nathan Fielder-led docu-comedy series' second season, which premiered May 4; it returned on the season finale (May 25). The context of the song's synch: Fielder posits that pilot Sully Sullenberger could have been listening to the track, No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2003, while he landed a plane in the Hudson River (the Miracle on the Hudson) in 2009. In May 2025, 'Bring Me to Life' earned 22.1 million official on-demand U.S. streams and sold 3,000 downloads, according to Luminate. It returned to Billboard's Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart twice, paced by an appearance at No. 6 on the May 17-dated ranking. 'Bring Me to Life' reigns on Top TV Songs over Stevie Nicks' 'Edge of Seventeen,' which enters at No. 2 after a synch in Will Trent that aired May 13. It was heard in the final episode of the third season of the ABC drama (with a fourth on the way, as it was renewed in April). One of Nicks' definitive solo tunes, 'Edge of Seventeen,' which peaked at No. 11 on the Hot 100 in 1982, earned 10.5 million streams and 2,000 downloads in May 2025. The latest Top TV Songs also features three songs each from the premiere seasons of Netflix's Sirens and Amazon Prime Video's The Better Sister. Sirens leads the pair thanks to the No. 3 rank of Blue Swede's 'Hooked On a Feeling' from its fifth episode (8.7 million streams, 1,000 downloads), followed by The Rolling Stones' 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' from The Better Sister at No. 5 (4.6 million streams, 1,000 downloads). See the full top 10, also featuring music from The Rookie and The Last of Us, below. Rank, Song, Artist, Show (Network) 'Bring Me to Life,' Evanescence feat. Paul McCoy, The Rehearsal (HBO) 'Edge of Seventeen,' Stevie Nicks, Will Trent (ABC) 'Hooked on a Feeling,' Blue Swede, Sirens (Netflix) 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot,' Pat Benatar, The Rookie (ABC) 'You Can't Always Get What You Want,' The Rolling Stones, The Better Sister (Amazon Prime Video) 'How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You),' James Taylor, Sirens (Netflix) 'Conga,' Miami Sound Machine, Sirens (Netflix) 'Werewolves of London,' Warren Zevon, The Better Sister (Amazon Prime Video) 'Magic Man,' Heart, The Better Sister (Amazon Prime Video) 'Burden in My Hand,' Soundgarden, The Last of Us (HBO) Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Four Decades of 'Madonna': A Look Back at the Queen of Pop's Debut Album on the Charts Chart Rewind: In 1990, Madonna Was in 'Vogue' Atop the Hot 100
