Latest news with #Pinocchio
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
All the Clues & Easter Eggs You Might Have Missed in the Destination X Premiere
Do you have what it takes to suss out Destination X? In the premiere episode of Destination X, hosted by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, 10 players were tasked with sussing out where the X they were based on a series of hints and challenges — but it's not as simple as it seems. In this bold new travel competition series from NBC, Europe is turned into a real-life gameboard as complete strangers are invited to participate in the trip of a lifetime and the ultimate geo-guessing contest. These adventurous players will traverse Europe in a blacked-out Destination X bus to figure out where the "X" they are each week. In each episode, the players disembark the bus to visit unique and unfamiliar tourist attractions that have been gamified into experiential challenges. They'll rely on their knowledge of pop culture, history, geography, and observational skills to win clues to their current location and earn an all-important advantage. Contestants must tap into their own personal expertise, identify hidden clues that are disguised as artifacts, and discern intentional misdirects from competitors to ultimately determine their whereabouts. RELATED: Read on to learn more about the premiere episode's location, and the many hints and Easter eggs the players saw (or didn't) along the way. The player clues were the most obvious, but there were a lot of them, so let's do a full rundown before we get to the more advanced ones: Mack and Ally were gifted a brief look outside the bus at the Roman ruins at Volterra, an arena that resembled the Colosseum in miniature. While racing through the cobblestone streets of Orvieto, Italy, Mack and Biggy solved a series of riddles, which involved Pinocchio, Olives, and Roman Numerals, all of which could have clued them in on their general locale in Italy. While Mack and Biggy were busy at street-level in Orvieto, their teams were deep in St. Patrick's Well, sussing out riddles that freed their above-ground counterparts from their black-out goggles. The two riddles the teams had to figure out led them to coins depicting Romeo & Juliet (get it? ROME-eo...? Yeah, you get it. Not to mention that the classic Shakespearean tale takes place in Italy) and Wine (a major export of Italy). RELATED: Throughout their challenge, Mack and Biggy earned more coins every time they figured out a riddle first. Mack killed it, earning four gold coins that had images of Ninja Turtle Weapons (all four of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are named after Italian artists: Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, and Michelangelo), "1492" with an Outline of Christopher Colombus (Christopher Colombus was Italian, and sailed to the Americas in 1492), Thumbs Up/Down (a hint to the famous scene in Gladiator, in which Joaquin Phoenix's ruthless Roman Emperor Commodus determined gladiators' fates with a thumbs up or thumbs down in the Colosseum), and Swords Crossed with Swiss Cheese (a hint at the Swiss Guard, who protect the Pope in Vatican City, which is located within Rome). Meanwhile, Biggy managed to get just one coin, which showed Ballet Slippers (ballet originated in the courts of Italy). Our host Jeffrey provided the audience with a big clue at the end of the episode's second challenge, saying in his voiceover: "The ancient hilltop town of Orvieto, to be exact, renowned for its stunning cathedral, rich olive oil, and of course, St Patrick's Well, built in the 1500s by Pope Clement VII, who fled to Orvieto from a city 90 miles away, a city which also happens to be our first Destination X." Pope Clement VII fled from Rome to Orvieto in the 1500s. Related: Find Out More About Destination X Host Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Many Meaningful Tattoos Hidden among all the sweeping visuals of rolling hillsides and extravagant architecture were images of Vespas (famous Italian scooters; plus, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck famously rode one during Roman Holiday) and Vineyards & Cyprus Trees (landscape-based hints at the Italian countryside). By episode's end, several players had correctly guessed that the challenges and clues had all hinted at one final location: Rome, Italy — specifically, the famous Roman Colosseum. However, Josh Martinez placed his X in the Map Room in Milan, resulting in his excommunication from Destination X. "Destination X, you got me!" Josh said in his final moments. "Wildest, craziest game I've ever played. This bus was insanity." New episodes of Destination X premiere on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, and are available to stream the next day on Peacock.
Forbes
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
At Cannes, Guillermo Del Toro And Alexandre Desplat Discuss Their Partnership And Tease Upcoming ‘Frankenstein' Movie
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 18: Alexandre Desplat and Guillermo del Toro pose during the "La Leçon De ... More Musique Alexandre Desplat & Guillermo Del Toro" photocall at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 18, 2025 in Cannes, France. (Photo by) Guillermo del Toro and Alexandre Desplat gave a masterclass this Sunday, May 18th at the Cannes Film Festival. During the event called ''Lesson of Music'', the two prestigious guests dived into their relationship, which started with Del Toro's 2017 movie The Shape of Water, which won Desplat a second Oscar for his score, two years after his first win for The Grand Budapest Hotel. In 2022, Del Toro and the French composer once again teamed up for Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, which also won an Oscar for best animated film in 2023. The first part of the lesson focused on Desplat's career, with an in-depth analysis of his score for the opening of Birth, directed by Jonathan Glazer. It was also the occasion for the composer to explain the origins of his love and passion for films scores. Desplat mentioned that the New Hollywood, Spielberg or Scorsese were his idols as a teenager. He said, 'I bought CDs, I listened to everything I could, I bought vinyls, I got some Japanese imports. I realized that everything was possible with cinema, just by listening to this music. Music brings another dimension, a new act, a new space, it can be beautiful.' On his creative process, Desplat said, 'A score starts at the beginning of the film, it lasts until the end, in a chronological order that accompanies the film.' He added: 'My music is more interested in characters than actions or images. Actors claim a role and will close that chapter at the end of the film, a composer is only invited into that theatre. So I use the same tools, musical, emotional tools, sometimes they are built up from childhood, and I share that with the film and the filmmaker.' Desplat was then joined on stage by Guillermo del Toro, who was welcomed by a rapturous standing ovation. Del Toro also shared his passion for film scores and revealed the first ones he bought as a young man. He said, 'The first record I bought was Jaws and then The Godfather. 90% of the music I listen to, is just film scores. When I paint models on Sundays, I listen to scores. I love illustration and movie music for the same reason.' Guillermo del Toro and Alexandre Desplat He added: 'The melting of these artists, Spielberg and John Williams, I mean Spielberg has a huge DNA of music from his mother. I think he films like a composer and John Williams composes like a director.' The two artists then dived into their work habits and process. The director revealed that to him, the very first music note is the camera, and when he finishes filming, he moves on to editing the film without any sound. 'When we are in the same room together, there's no frontier, it's a real exchange of artistic ideas, it's my role to be able to hear and respond. Disagreement is the best part of it, when two people agree, one should leave,' Del Toro joked. The filmmaker also shared that Desplat's music is always in sync with the emotions he is trying to convey with his films. He said, 'That's what I value with Alexandre, a state of grave for me, emotionally, is important. I'm Mexican so I'm really emotional, until I cried in the studio, we don't rest. Emotion is the new punk, it's something people don't risk, and we risk it.' Desplat said, 'The color, the light, the voice of the actor, helps me with the first key.' He also explained that the way he works on his score is by imagining what his music can tell about the characters. He mentioned his score for Philomena, in which Judi Dench is accompanied by a simple, gentle theme that can be played with only one hand on the piano, as a way to reflect the simplicity of the character and the fact that she has worked in the covent's laundry, with her hands, for years. Desplat said on del Toro, 'I've learned his passion for music, when we work together, we have references we can go too. He has an open mind, he's open to everything, if I say something and it's good, he's open to changes.' He added: 'I need to feel that the director has confidence in me, otherwise it's painful.' The two artists are currently working on the very anticipated Frankenstein, which is set for a release later this year. Del Toro said, 'Alexandre is not a composer, he's a filmmaker. We were watching a scene in Frankenstein, he said, 'I like the glove', I said 'Yes!' You'll see why… But he notices everything, you see the opening of Birth, and I think Jonathan Glazer is as close as we are to a Kubrick alive, the height of the camera and the width of the lens, allow him to bring that score.' On his Frankenstein, he added: 'Someone said, 'Is it scary?' and for the first time, I considered that. It's an emotional story for me. It's as personal as anything, I'm asking a question about being a father, being a son, I'm not doing a horror movie, ever. So it's the same thing for the music, we're trying to find the emotion in what I consider to be an incredibly emotional movie.' Desplat also said, 'Guillermo's cinema is very lyrical, my music too, so it will be lyrical and emotional, I'm not trying to write horrific music.'
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Lilo & Stitch movie review: Another live-action remake that is a heartless cash grab masquerading as nostalgia
Disney's obsession with turning its animated classics into live-action spectacles continues, and the latest to fall victim is Lilo & Stitch — a film that, perhaps more than most, never needed this treatment. In recent years, Disney has struggled to justify this remake crusade, with hits like The Jungle Book now rare exceptions. More often, we're left with flat imitations like Pinocchio or Mulan. Lilo & Stitch could have been the outlier — a remake that recaptured the chaos and charm of its source — but instead, it's a jumbled, soulless retread that makes you miss every watercolor frame of the 2002 original. The heart of the story remains, but the soul is gone. Director Dean Fleischer Camp tries to bring Stitch's antics into the real world, but the result is a noisy, emotionally flattened remake that never justifies its existence. The film retells the story of Stitch (voiced once again by Chris Sanders), a chaotic, genetically engineered alien who escapes to Earth and lands in Hawaii. Mistaken for a dog, he's adopted by Lilo Pelekai (Maia Kealoha), a lonely, imaginative young girl being raised by her older sister Nani (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong) after the death of their parents. As Lilo struggles to find connection and Nani battles to keep child services at bay, Stitch's alien pursuers — Jumba (Zach Galifianakis) and Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) — come to Earth to retrieve him. The story explores themes of family, belonging, and acceptance, but this remake buries those beats under layers of CGI and rushed exposition. To its credit, the remake is visually competent. Stitch's 3D design retains much of the original charm, with his oversized ears, gleaming eyes, and mischievous grin intact. Kids, especially those new to the franchise, may find him endlessly entertaining. The film also makes a commendable attempt to deepen the emotional bond between Lilo and Nani. Sydney Agudong brings a grounded frustration to Nani's character that makes her struggle feel more real, and Maia Kealoha shows genuine spark and vulnerability as Lilo. There are also a few moments — borrowed directly from the original — that still manage to land. The message of 'Ohana means family' still tugs at the heartstrings, and the occasional flash of slapstick fun between the alien duo Jumba and Pleakley adds some comic relief. Cameos from Tia Carrere and Jason Scott Lee offer nostalgic nods for longtime fans. But nostalgia is not enough to carry this film. The whimsical spontaneity of the original is replaced with a loud, hyperactive tone that leaves no room for warmth or subtlety. The original's leisurely pace and lush watercolor visuals gave it a dreamy, heartfelt quality — this remake trades that for rapid edits, busy action, and hollow spectacle. Scenes that once felt like living sketches now feel like shot-for-shot recreations drained of feeling. Worse still is how poorly the live-action setting serves the story. Stitch's arrival on Earth feels rushed and incoherent, and the film's early space scenes are visually ugly — a reminder of how poor CGI can sabotage world-building. Despite the budget, many moments look unfinished or awkwardly staged. Fleischer Camp, whose Marcel the Shell with Shoes On was so full of gentle whimsy, seems completely out of his depth here. The emotional crescendos feel forced, and the new material adds little except extra runtime. In trying to update a film beloved for its weirdness and warmth, Disney has produced something ironically safe, sterile, and synthetic. The original Lilo & Stitch was messy in the best way — an emotional, slightly chaotic ode to family and outsiders. This remake loses that in translation, becoming just another cog in Disney's IP machine. Ultimately, this new Lilo & Stitch serves as a reminder of what made the original so special — and why some films are best left untouched. There's no shortage of energy in this remake, but it's pointed in the wrong direction. What was once a quirky, beautiful daydream now feels like a corporate box-ticker. Disney may find commercial success with this version, but creatively, it's a letdown — one that leaves audiences wishing for the watercolor skies of 2002.
Digital Trends
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Lies of P: Overture makes a great Soulslike more approachable than ever
Back in 2023, Lies of P became a surprise hit thanks to its Pinocchio-inspired story and brutally fast combat. Though I enjoyed it at the time, that quick action was always my sticking point. It felt like bosses were so aggressive that slower weapons simply weren't viable. Players really had to commit to every attack to keep up with enemies that lashed out in a flurry of violence. Developer Round8 has since put out patches to make a few bosses easier, such as reducing health and increasing chances of breaking their stances. Now Round8 has a second chance to get things right. This summer, Lies of P will receive a prequel DLC dubbed Overture. The new chapter will take players back to the beginning of the mysterious Puppet Frenzy, and take them to some snowier locales along the way. It's not just bringing a new time and setting to the table, though. Overture stands to make a tough base game even more approachable than ever based on what we played in a recent two hour demo that showed what the DLC has to offer. Recommended Videos Environmental variety Right when I start my demo, I'm immediately struck by Overture's setting. While the base Lies of P game was filled with dark and rusty overtones, Overture is knee deep in snow. The bright white landscapes are a dramatic shift that makes Overture feel more inviting compared to the base game. There's still clever environmental storytelling underneath those sheets of white. Boxes and structures are broken, scattered everywhere. Bright red blood is splattered all around. Something clearly horrific went down during the city of Krat's final days. I got to try out several new weapons during my demo, including a bow and arrow as well as a gunblade. The bow and arrow is precise, useful for picking off incredibly aggressive enemies at a range. In particular, there's a frozen zombie enemy wearing a crown that would always charge at me as soon as I was spotted. I quickly learned that I needed to approach them very carefully so that I could get the jump on them first. When that failed, the gunblade came in handy. The weapon has a satisfying heaviness that matches its explosive firepower. Its heavy combos carried me throughout my entire session. Essentially, the gunblade can unleash a medium range blast that propels Pinocchio backwards. In a follow-up combo, the second hit propels him forward for an additional sweeping strike on enemies. This particular attack is perfect for putting distance between me and my enemies before I can swoop in for the kill. Sure, I used that attack over and over again, but in a challenging Soulslike game, I wanted to take advantage of every tactic I had at my disposal. As I perused through a zoo, a mansion, and a carnival-like area, I eventually came across the boss of my session: a gigantic alligator called the Tyrannical Predator. I wasn't able to defeat it in time due to its hulking size and powerful bites that took out sizable chunks of my HP with each hit, but it was a healthy challenge to end a session I otherwise coasted through with one move. Revisiting the past For the second half of my session, I tested out a new feature coming to the Lies of P base game that will be extended to Overture: boss replay. In the main hub area, Hotel Krat, players will be able to have rematches with bosses they've previously fought against. Additionally, there are now multiple difficulty levels for the bosses. Each boss rematch has five levels, and upon beating them at Difficulty Level 5, players earn a commemorative item. As far as I can tell, there weren't any differences in behavior between the lowest and highest difficulty levels. The boss' damage output and HP are simply higher. The Level 5 matches are quite difficult, as the bosses hit like trucks. Even a single strike from the game's very first boss at the highest difficulty took out half of my health. On the flipside, the Level 1 matches are helpful for relearning boss fights and patterns that I've long since forgotten since the game's release. The main draw of the boss replay demo was that I was able to fight against three new bosses. Despite Overture's overall snowy setting, it seems like there will be some different environments to explore. For example, Markonis, Puppeteer of Death resides in a lush greenhouse area. This is a dual boss fight where Markonis uses her mechanized puppet like a wrecking ball. The second boss I faced was the Two-Face Overseer, which utilizes a giant hammer to fight. He reminds me of Batman villain Mr. Freeze, as the boss's head is encased in a tank. The setting of this one looked like a hospital or medical institution. The third and last boss I faced off against was in some sort of excavation site. The creature is named the Anguished Guardian of the Ruins, and it's enormous. It stands on four legs and has a bearded face. This was the only fight I tried with two phases, and was the most challenging of the new bosses due to its wide-sweeping attacks that required me to time my parries perfectly. Based on what I played, Lies of P: Overture looks to be a substantial addition to the base game. I've only played an hour of the new area while spending another in its new boss replay feature, but I have the feeling that there's so much left to explore. That's great news for an already standout Soulslike game that's only improved over time as it addressed its difficulty balancing. Overture feels like it will be a culmination of that process, letting more players than ever get in on the puppet slaying action. Lies of P: Overture is scheduled to launch this summer.
See - Sada Elbalad
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
Guillermo del Toro Teases Emotional "Frankenstein" at Cannes: "I'm Not Doing a Horror Movie"
Yara Sameh Guillermo del Toro is taking a more sympathetic approach with his version of 'Frankenstein.' 'Somebody asked me the other day, does it have really scary scenes?' del Toro said during a conversation at the Cannes Film Festival with Oscar-winning composer Alexandre Desplat. 'For the first time, I considered that. It's an emotional story for me. It's as personal as anything. I'm asking a question about being a father, being a son… I'm not doing a horror movie — ever. I'm not trying to do that.' Desplat and del Toro were on stage discussing their collaborations on films like 'The Shape of Water' and 'Pinocchio' as a way of highlighting the pivotal role that music plays in moviemaking. They are collaborating once again on 'Frankenstein,' which Netflix will release this fall. It sounds like they are aligned in not going for obvious scares in their adaptation of Mary Shelley's Gothic novel. 'Guillermo's cinema is very lyrical, and my music is rather lyrical too,' Desplat said. 'So I think the music of 'Frankenstein' will be something very lyrical and emotional… I'm not trying to write horrific music.' The pair has yet to finalize the score, but they sound like they are getting close. 'We're finding the emotion,' del Toro said. 'And what I can say is, for me, it's an incredibly emotional movie.' In del Toro's films like 'The Shape of Water' or 'Cronos' or even 'Hellboy,' he often seems to empathize most with the kind of creatures that other moviemakers portray as monsters. That doesn't interest him. 'In 'The Shape of Water,' the creature is frightening during the first 15 minutes and then becomes a very moving character,' Desplat noted. 'The first time I thought I was going to avenge the creature was when Marilyn Monroe is coming out [of the movies] in 'The Seven Year Itch' with Tom Ewell, and she says the creature just needed somebody to like him,'' del Toro said. 'I fell in love with Marilyn, and I fell in love with the creature in that scene at a very early age. And I thought, you know, all we have is people that look at people the wrong way. That's what we have in this world.' 'Frankenstein' stars Jacob Elordi, Oscar Isaac, and Mia Goth. In addition to his work on 'Frankenstein,' Desplat also scored two films in competition at Cannes this year, Wes Anderson's 'The Phoenician Scheme' and Tarik Saleh's 'Eagles of the Republic.' read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies
