Latest news with #TheShift
Epoch Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
‘The Last Rodeo': An Avoidable Misstep From Angel Studios
PG | 1h 58m | Drama, Sports | 2025 First, the good news: 'The Last Rodeo' is leading man Neal McDonough's third Angel Studio project in as many years, and it is slightly better than the last one ('Homestead'). The bad news: It's not nearly as good as 'The Shift,' where McDonough played a humanized incarnation of Satan.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen Unveil Square Peg Social to Help 'Nurture New Generation of Filmmakers'
Square Peg co-founders Lars Knudsen and Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar), who just world premiered the star-studded Aster-directed Eddington at the Cannes Film Festival, have unveiled the inaugural Square Peg Social, 'a gathering for more seasoned filmmakers and industry professionals to help and nurture a new generation of filmmakers with unvarnished advice and mentorship in an informal and intimate setting.' They shared news of event, which will take place in Austin, Texas Oct. 23-26, during the first-ever 'The Shifter(s) Series' session, presented by Winston Baker and The Shift during the Cannes film festival and market in Cannes on Monday. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Highest 2 Lowest': Spike Lee on Trump, Cannes Scandals and the Knicks' Championship Chances: "We're Going to Win!" UTA's Rich Klubeck Is Juggling Wes Anderson, Kelly Reichardt and Ethan Coen at Cannes Jafar Panahi: The World's Most Acclaimed Dissident Filmmaker The brainchild of Amy Knudsen, Square Peg Social will 'create a space where filmmakers can come together without the walls and barriers that too often exist within the film industry,' the creatives said. Knudsen and Aster will invite 30 of their closest and most trusted collaborators to create a one-to-one ratio of established industry professionals to attendees. The professionals will be a mix of directors 'who still vividly remember the passion and desperation of getting their first films made, as well as like-minded producers who won't shy away from sharing their own struggles and how they overcome them,' they said. Additionally, they will invite department heads, writer, authors and even agents, managers and lawyers. 'Ari and I see this as an opportunity to give back in a meaningful way and share the highs and lows of producing and directing — and most importantly, how to persevere in an industry that can feel tough to navigate — to 30 carefully curated rising directors and producers,' explained Lars Knudsen. Highlighted Aster: 'For us, this is all about helping and creating opportunities for producers and filmmakers at a time in their careers that is filled with uncertainty.' The mission of Square Peg Social is for attendees 'to leave the weekend with a sense of hope and excitement for what is to come in their careers, and for them to find mentorship and make meaningful connections with their peers.' Submission details for those who want to attend will be unveiled at a later date. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now "A Nutless Monkey Could Do Your Job": From Abusive to Angst-Ridden, 16 Memorable Studio Exec Portrayals in Film and TV The 10 Best Baseball Movies of All Time, Ranked
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen on Cannes Dreams, Nightmares and Surfing Their Momentum
Square Peg co-founders Lars Knudsen and Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar) have been having a busy Cannes Film Festival. They world premiered the star-studded Aster-directed Eddington, their latest A24 movie on which the duo also functioned as producers, in competition on Friday. And on Monday, they were the stars of the first-ever 'The Shifter(s) Series' session, presented by Winston Baker and The Shift during the Cannes festival and market. Beyond unveiling the inaugural Square Peg Social, 'a gathering for more seasoned filmmakers and industry professionals to help and nurture a new generation of filmmakers with unvarnished advice and mentorship in an informal and intimate setting,' set to take place in Austin, Texas in October, the dynamic duo also discussed their Cannes experience and the momentum of their production outfit. More from The Hollywood Reporter Scarlett Johansson's 'Eleanor the Great' Draws Cheers, Tears at Cannes Premiere 'Eleanor the Great' Review: June Squibb Steadies Scarlett Johansson's Wobbly Directorial Debut John C. Reilly Is Buffalo Bill in Cannes Film 'Heads or Tails?,' a Deconstruction of Cowboys and Legends 'I've always dreamed of being here, and I'm very aware of all the films that have come here before,' Aster, known as a cinephile, shared on stage in Cannes about what premiering in the fest's competition lineup felt like. He then drew oohs and aahs when he shared: 'I have this chronic issue that I can't enjoy anything. So, I'm trying to remind myself that this is really great, which it is. It's a dream come true. I just had to make sure I keep it from turning into a nightmare.' The audience erupted in laughter and cheers when Aster answered the question of what he would do if he did not make movies. 'Whether or not I'm good at filmmaking, I don't know. But it's the only thing that I feel comfortable doing,' he said. 'Otherwise, I feel like I'm pretty bad at life. I have only doubts and worries, and anxieties about life. It's the one place where I can lose myself and feel that I'm standing on any sort of solid ground. It's ground that I'm building for myself. But it takes a long time. It's hard when you don't have that foundation yet, and then release the film, and the foundation goes away.' So how did he and Knudsen decide to form Square Peg together a few years ago? 'When Lars asked me if I wanted to start a production company with him, it was something that I hadn't ever thought about before,' Aster explained. 'But I liked the idea of doing it with him, also because I knew that I'm a director first, and as a producer, I would be more passive than he would be. But I knew that that meant that the people who we would be getting behind would be totally supported and in the same position that I'm in, which is a very lucky position.' Knudsen said the partnership and its output have proven successful, which has put Square Peg in a great position. 'We've been very fortunate that through our company and the films that we've done that we have been able to create momentum. I think for producing, momentum is everything,' he told the Cannes audience. 'You have to either create your own momentum, or momentum is created for you. But if you want to keep producing, momentum is key.' Knudsen also shared his experience as a producer. 'I've always been a firm believer that you got to make movies, and that sounds a lot easier to say than to do. But if you make one movie, it's easier to make the next one and just keep going. Right now, we're very fortunate that we are making a lot and we want to use that opportunity to continue to work with filmmakers who are first-time filmmakers, as well as more experienced filmmakers, to keep riding that wave.' How does Square Peg balance quantity and quality? 'It's very easy to say yes to projects. It's hard to say no,' Knudsen explained. 'We just have to be very good at only doing things that we are very passionate about, because everything takes years of your life from conception to release. It can be 10 years sometimes. And I don't like to give up on a project. So, you need a big slate of films in order to get films made, because not everything's going to get made.' Aster echoed that notion. 'Mostly, we do things that we all agree on and are excited about,' he emphasized. 'I don't want to say there's anything we're doing that any of us are lukewarm on, but if there's something that one of us is more passionate about than the others, that's great.' Knudsen added that Square Peg has been 'very deliberate about not being tempted by the lowest-hanging fruit.' The focus for the banner is always on approaching films differently, 'where you make these films that may not fit into the mainstream, but they do,' he explained. 'Hereditary was an eye opener for me [as an example of a movie] that actually can work really well for everyone. A lot of the films I did in the past, which I'm really, really proud of, went to festivals, but they weren't seen by people. But there's a way to do this, and I think that's what we're doing.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now "A Nutless Monkey Could Do Your Job": From Abusive to Angst-Ridden, 16 Memorable Studio Exec Portrayals in Film and TV The 10 Best Baseball Movies of All Time, Ranked
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Author Christina 'Tinx' Najjar weighs in on popular dating advice... including WORST tips she has ever received
Social media star Christina Najjar - better known online as 'Tinx' to her millions of followers - is dishing on popular dating advice, including the worst romance tips that she has ever heard. Over the past few years, Tinx has become known as 'the internet's big sister,' as she doles out sex, relationship, friendship, and even career advice on her platform. She invented what's called the 'box theory,' a concept about men putting a woman into one of three boxes if they're romantically interested in her, and wrote all about it in her first New York Times bestselling novel, The Shift. Now, the SiriusXM radio show host has published her second book and a fiction one at that - Hotter in the Hamptons, about an influencer who gets canceled and escapes to the Long Island enclave for a hot, steamy, summer romance with another woman - who just happens to be the journalist who 'canceled' her. It's a place she's familiar with, too, as she has spent a few recent summers in the area. The new book is spicy and sexy, and Tinx certainly does not hold back any of the sultry details, as she wants the book to help people get in touch with their sexuality, whether they are single or not. It also explores modern-day dating, something that Tinx talks about often on her various platforms. In a new interview with the internet personality revealed one of the most important things that she believes people should know about dating, and that's not to take anything personally. 'There is so much bad behavior. There's so much ghosting, bad manners,' Tinx told exclusively. 'You cannot take it personally, otherwise you will be miserable,' she continued. Instead, Tinx recommends taking things lightly and easily when it comes to dating. 'You'll know when someone great comes along, but until then, don't stress yourself out,' the influencer offered. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when hitting the town, Tinx said. 'One phrase that I don't think is very helpful is, "If he wanted to, he would,"' she admitted to 'I think it's true, but I think it's a very negative way to think about it,' Tinx continued, as she explained that she wants her community to change their thinking around the phrase. Instead, she suggests making the phrase more positive, and about the fact that you deserve someone who treats you well without you having to beg for their attention. That's not the worst dating advice she's gotten before, though. She explained that she is not a fan of playing any games when it comes to her dating life. 'I think that anything that's to do with manipulating guys or... I don't like game playing. I think game playing is really immature. And I think you only hurt yourself,' she explained. 'You never want to, like, trap someone into dating you,' Tinx shared. 'They're obviously not your person, if you have to do that.' This summer, Tinx says that she wants 'everyone to be horny by the pool' as they delve into her new novel. 'I think that erotica, smut, whatever you want to classify it as, is a fun way for people to get in touch with their own sexuality and expand their minds and expand their creativity,' she told The book has also been adapted into a TV series by powerhouse twins Erin and Sara Foster. As for the cast? Tinx has some ideas, but she doesn't want to jinx anything.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Author Christina 'Tinx' Najjar weighs in on popular dating advice... including WORST tips she has ever received
Social media star Christina Najjar - better known online as 'Tinx' to her millions of followers - is dishing on popular dating advice, including the worst romance tips that she has ever heard. Over the past few years, Tinx has become known as 'the internet's big sister,' as she doles out sex, relationship, friendship, and even career advice on her platform. She invented what's called the 'box theory,' a concept about men putting a woman into one of three boxes if they're romantically interested in her, and wrote all about it in her first New York Times bestselling novel, The Shift. Now, the SiriusXM radio show host has published her second book and a fiction one at that - Hotter in the Hamptons, about an influencer who gets canceled and escapes to the Long Island enclave for a hot, steamy, summer romance with another woman - who just happens to be the journalist who 'canceled' her. It's a place she's familiar with, too, as she has spent a few recent summers in the area. The new book is spicy and sexy, and Tinx certainly does not hold back any of the sultry details, as she wants the book to help people get in touch with their sexuality, whether they are single or not. It also explores modern-day dating, something that Tinx talks about often on her various platforms. In a new interview with the internet personality revealed one of the most important things that she believes people should know about dating, and that's not to take anything personally. 'There is so much bad behavior. There's so much ghosting, bad manners,' Tinx told exclusively. 'You cannot take it personally, otherwise you will be miserable,' she continued. Instead, Tinx recommends taking things lightly and easily when it comes to dating. 'You'll know when someone great comes along, but until then, don't stress yourself out,' the influencer offered. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when hitting the town, Tinx said. 'One phrase that I don't think is very helpful is, "If he wanted to, he would,"' she admitted to 'I think it's true, but I think it's a very negative way to think about it,' Tinx continued, as she explained that she wants her community to change their thinking around the phrase. Instead, she suggests making the phrase more positive, and about the fact that you deserve someone who treats you well without you having to beg for their attention. That's not the worst dating advice she's gotten before, though. She explained that she is not a fan of playing any games when it comes to her dating life. 'I think that anything that's to do with manipulating guys or... I don't like game playing. I think game playing is really immature. And I think you only hurt yourself,' she explained. 'You never want to, like, trap someone into dating you,' Tinx shared. 'They're obviously not your person, if you have to do that.' This summer, Tinx says that she wants 'everyone to be horny by the pool' as they delve into her new novel. 'I think that erotica, smut, whatever you want to classify it as, is a fun way for people to get in touch with their own sexuality and expand their minds and expand their creativity,' she told The book has also been adapted into a TV series by powerhouse twins Erin and Sara Foster. As for the cast? Tinx has some ideas, but she doesn't want to jinx anything.
