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A stunning tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” begins with the death of his character, T’Challa. While the trauma of the Talokans has bonded them together as a people, Shuri’s grief and rage have fueled self-isolation. Shuri also dismisses the Black Panther as a relic of the past. T’Challa’s death and Shuri’s anguished-filled reaction to the devastating loss, among others, are the catalysts upon which “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” hinges. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” doesn’t ask Shuri, Namor or the audience to push past their anger and grief — it’s a constant in this film.

☆ ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Review: Marvel Tries to Fill Chadwick Boseman’s Void
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Kyle Smith | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Four years ago “ Black Panther ” created an appealing new mythology around Wakanda, an imaginary African kingdom defined by superior technology, fierceness in battle, moral rectitude and the world’s only known deposits of an immensely powerful metal called vibranium. The shocking death of the film’s star, Chadwick Boseman , in 2020 at age 43 left a void in a hugely popular new franchise (the movie stands sixth on the list of highest-grossing films in North America, not adjusted for inflation) and created a storytelling conundrum for the Marvel Cinematic Universe: How could it add another Black Panther chapter without its leading man? Fortunately, the first “Black Panther” was rich with secondary figures, the most notable of whom have returned for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” which is being greeted with feverish advance ticket sales. Much of that enthusiasm won’t survive this listless adventure, which at 161 minutes is one of the longest comic-book movies Hollywood has ever produced. After a spate of manic superhero blockbusters that ricocheted from one digital spectacle to another, this one takes its time with character and plot but doesn’t develop either to any satisfying degree.

☆ 'The Fabelmans' review: Steven Spielberg spins his own super-director origin story
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —“The Fabelmans” allows Steven Spielberg to turn his coming-of-age memories into what amounts to a super-director origin story, recalling both his complicated family life and early love of movies and filmmaking. It’s a deeply personal chronicle from one of cinema’s greatest talents, yielding a movie that features wonderful moments within a somewhat scattered narrative. The film opens with the young Sammy Fabelman seeing his first movie, “The Greatest Show on Earth,” in 1952. “The Fabelmans” isn’t a blockbuster, but it’s a window into what influenced a director who has given us countless screen memories over his storied career. “The Fabelmans” premieres in select US theaters on November 11 and expands to wide release on November 23.

☆ ‘Black Panther’ cast says we need more Black heroes after Chadwick Boseman’s death
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Candice Williams | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” which will be released nationwide Friday, is already on track to become a critical success. It offers a poignant and powerful tribute to the film’s original Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman, who died in August 2020 from colon cancer. I still feel there’s a long way to go.”Studies have shown that it’s important for children to see superheroes that look like them. Gurira, who said she never had anything like “Black Panther” growing up, said experiencing this film as an adult “sparked a hunger” in her as a creative. Gurira said it’s imperative that Black creatives continue to push for change in the film industry so movies like “Black Panther” can become the norm.

☆ Emily Blunt is game for a 'Devil Wears Prada' sequel
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Dan Heching | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Emily Blunt would be more than game to return to the role that made her one of film’s most iconic fashion mean girls. Hathaway, whose career also skyrocketed thanks to “Prada,” shared a bit more hesitation around the prospect of a sequel when she visited “The View” just last week. Now, everything’s gone so digital, and that movie centered around the concept of producing a physical thing. It’s just very different now.”“Although, it is tempting to think about Andy and Emily needing to get Miranda her coffee and she’s somewhere in Europe,” she added. “And then along the way they pick up Stanley Tucci in Italy, who’s at a restaurant.

☆ Paramount took a risk keeping ‘Top Gun’ grounded for two years. It was this year’s biggest hit
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“Maverick” flew into theaters with lots of buzz and strong reviews, and that helped the movie blow past box office projections for its opening weekend. It brought in a Memorial Day weekend record of $160 million at the North American box office. “Maverick” is an old-school box office hit made for the biggest screen possible that emerged just as the industry’s future was very much in doubt. “The commercial reception of Tom Cruise’s legacy sequel was the summer movie miracle theaters needed,” Scott Mendelson, a box office reporter, wrote for Forbes. Climbing back up the mountain"We really felt, and Tom certainly agreed with the fact that we had a great big screen movie," Bakish said.

☆ Despite some complaints, 'Black Panther' sequel receives rave reviews
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Danielle Broadway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 8 (Reuters) - The highly anticipated sequel to Disney's “Black Panther,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” has received glowing reviews from the majority of critics. The film, which arrives in theaters on Friday, scored a 94% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with only five out of 81 critics rating the film as rotten. There is a new Black Panther, and they will figure into the future of this universe. “'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' is by far the best film in phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The sad reality is that the show must go on, and without (Chadwick Boseman), it’s just more of the same.

☆ Chadwick Boseman didn’t read the ‘Wakanda Forever’ script before he died
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Marianne Garvey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Chadwick Boseman did not read the script for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” before his death in 2020, according to the film’s director. Ryan Coogler told “Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast” that he offered Boseman a chance to read the script, but, at the time, the actor declined. And she didn’t wanna leave him. But they were joking and laughing.”On the script, Coogler said Boseman “didn’t wanna read it because he didn’t wanna get in the way of whatever notes the studio might have. So he was like, ‘It’s better if I can read it later.’ But I found later that he was too tired to read anything.”

☆ Why horror films kill at the box office all year round
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN Business —One of Paramount’s biggest blockbusters this year is a surprise hit that hasn’t slowed down at the box office since opening at No. The film, which stars Sosie Bacon as a psychiatrist being tormented by visions of horrifying smirks, opened to $22.6 million at the domestic box office late September. Many horror films this year have done the same, showing that — aside from superhero movies — horror is Hollywood’s most dependable genre at the box office. Audiences have been sporadic and the overall North America box office is down about 34% from the pre-Covid levels of 2019. “The box office results have been scary impressive.”

☆ The Elon Musk wrecking ball
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Editor’s Note: A version of this story appeared in CNN Business’ Nightcap newsletter. New York CNN Business —Elon Musk bought a $44 billion fixer-upper, and he’s not wasting any time gutting the joint. If you spent the weekend trying to ignore the news, like I did, let’s catch up on what the Musk wrecking ball has targeted so far:And yes, this is all Textbook Musk. Musk himself has long favored using Twitter rather than an PR team to break news about his other companies like Tesla. And for that I turn to my colleague Frank “Craven” Pallotta, CNN Business’ resident expert on all things Hollywood and horror.

☆ ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ first reactions herald ‘Marvel's most poignant and powerful film’
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Disney and Marvel Studios finally unveiled Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” at the film’s world premiere in Hollywood on Wednesday evening. Anticipation for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” has been sky high. “Black Panther” also became the first comic book movie nominated for best picture at the Oscars. The Hollywood Reporter’s Brian Davids hailed the film as “Marvel’s most poignant and powerful film to date,” praising all elements from the performances to the crafts. The Wrap’s Drew Taylor said that the film “prioritizes sentiment over spectacle” and praised Ludwig Göransson’s score as “an all timer.”“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" opens in theaters nationwide Nov. 11.

☆ Taylor Swift’s ‘Anti-Hero’ video edited to remove ‘fat’ reference after criticisms
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Taylor Swift’s music video for “Midnights” lead single “Anti-Hero” has been edited to remove a scene that shows her stepping on a bathroom scale that read “fat.”The music video on Apple Music appears to no longer shows the scale, instead, Swift’s anti-hero clone just looks at her with a face of disappointment. The music video on YouTube still features the scale displaying the word “fat.”Contacted by Variety, reps for Swift and Apple Music did not immediately have a comment. “But the way that Lana (Wilson, the film’s director) tells the story, it really makes sense. I’m not as articulate as I should be about this topic because there are so many people who could talk about it in a better way. If I was given a punishment, I registered that as bad.”

☆ 'Call Jane' review: Elizabeth Banks stars in fictionalized look at a pre-Roe world through one woman's abortion journey
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The portrait of an underground abortion network pre-Roe v. Wade is obviously timely, but its slightly askew focus blunts the overall impact. Part of that has to do with making Elizabeth Banks’ Joy, a privileged housewife living in Chicago in 1968, the film’s centerpiece, introducing her as being somewhat oblivious to the tumult of the times. Joy initially applies to the hospital board for permission to terminate the pregnancy, only to have her petition dismissively denied by the all-male panel. The sequence slowly and painfully captures the mix of fear and discomfort Joy feels, after her blindfolded trip to the location and the dimly lit room where it happens. The writers clearly intended to personalize the abortion conversation through their Everywoman protagonist, and Banks ably fills that role.

☆ 'Black Adam' wins a star-powered box office
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN Business —Who says movie stars no longer matter in Hollywood? Theaters and box offices got a much-needed boost this weekend thanks to superhero flick “Black Adam” and romantic comedy “Ticket to Paradise” — two films led by big stars. 1 spot at the domestic box office with an estimated $67 million. The debut of “Black Adam” is the largest opening at the box office since July’s “Thor: Love & Thunder.” (Warner Bros., like CNN, is owned by Warner Bros. In fact, Universal suffered a set back just a few weeks ago when “Bros.,” another romantic comedy, flopped at the box office.

☆ 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' turns 40: Star Henry Thomas reflects on the film
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Marianne Garvey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

the Extra-Terrestrial” celebrates its 40th anniversary, Henry Thomas, who starred as Elliott in the film, is reflecting on the movie and the fame that came with it. Thomas spoke to CNN this week as an updated 4K Ultra HD version of the movie was released. Initially, Thomas said, he didn’t understand the little alien who came to live in Elliott’s house. “I remember as a kid, you know, I was really into ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Indiana Jones,’ Thomas recalled. “I imagine if it were a bad film that was universally reviled, we wouldn’t be talking about it now 40 years later,” Thomas said.

A New York City congressional candidate uploaded his sex tape to PornHub earlier this year, but it made headlines last week. Mike Itkis, an independent whose campaign highlights a "sex positive approach" to domestic policy, reportedly released the tape in part to show support for sex workers. Voters who want to support sex workers should learn more about the legislation affecting this and other vulnerable groups — especially those living at the intersection of multiple marginalized experiences (such as migrant or trans sex workers). When considering candidates, ask pointed questions about plans to develop new policies that support sex workers and amend the laws that don’t. I hope Itkis enjoyed making his sex tape — but he needs to prioritize listening to the sex workers in his constituency now that he’s done.

☆ 'Decision To Leave' review: The latest Korean drama you need in your life
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Review Thomas Page | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

This month the spotlight is on South Korean crime drama “Decision To Leave.”CNN —A language barrier lies at the heart of swoon-worthy Korean police procedural “Decision To Leave.” Hae-joon (Park Hae-il) is a polite Busan cop, Seo-rae (Tang Wei), the Chinese wife of a dead businessman. Park Hae-il and Tang Wei as a detective and suspect drawn together by the death of a mountain climber. The interview: Writer-director Park Chan-wookPark Chan-wook attends the "Decision To Leave" UK Premiere during the 66th BFI London Film Festival on October 14, 2022. Gareth Cattermole/Getty ImagesThe Korean master told CNN he wanted to adhere to then subvert film noir in “Decision To Leave,” playing with tropes, structure and the male gaze. For more details on his “very meta approach,” why he cast Tang Wei and why “Vertigo” was far from his mind, read the full interview.

☆ Park Chan-wook on 'Decision To Leave': 'This story departs from all conventions'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Thomas Page | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Director Park is no stranger to the slippery nature of language barriers. In the film, Korean detective Hae-joon (Park Hae-il) is probing the death of a climber who fell from a mountaintop on the outskirts of Busan. Director Park Chan-wook says he had a longstanding desire to cast the Chinese star in one of his films. The first part is “full-on male gaze,” Hae-joon “steal(ing) the look.” He inserts himself into Seo-rae’s life, even fantasizing standing in her living room, observing private moments. Tang Wei as suspect Seo-rae and Park Hael-il as detective Hae-joon in "Decision To Leave."

☆ Analysis: 'Big Shot' new season finds the ball back in John Stamos' court
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But thanks to John Stamos, I’m now more of a basketball fan, which leads us into what to watch this week. Three things to watch‘Big Shot’ Season 2(From left) John Stamos as Coach Korn and Sophia Mitri Schloss as Emma Korn are shown in a scene from "Big Shot." “I need to now cut her loose and let her live in the minds and hearts of the fans that have supported her,” Curtis told Entertainment Weekly. “Sharing people’s stories that are not just on a rap sheet will help people get comfortable and understand where someone has come from,” Kardashian told The Hollywood Reporter. “I wasn’t talking about politics,” Elias told CNN.

☆ It’s a scary time in Hollywood. But the horror studio behind hits like ‘Halloween Ends’ is making a killing
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

That includes hits like “Get Out,” “The Black Phone,” “The Purge,” “Paranormal Activity,” and the rebooted “Halloween” trilogy. “Halloween Ends,” the trilogy’s final film, hits theaters and streaming this weekend. Scary low budgets, scary good results"Get Out" was one of Blumhouse's biggest commercial and critical hits. For Jason Blum, the company’s CEO and founder, making movies on low budgets is more than just about saving money. “We’re really known for low budgets because low budgets are profitable,” he told CNN Business.

☆ 'Harry Potter' stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson pay tribute to Robbie Coltrane
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Sandra Gonzalez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Stars from the “Harry Potter” universe are paying tribute to Hogwart’s resident gentle half-giant, Robbie Coltrane, who died on Friday. “I feel incredibly lucky that I got to meet and work with him and very sad that he’s passed. “Robbie was the most fun uncle I’ve ever had,” she wrote, underneath a photo of the pair. “His talent was so immense it made sense he played a giant – he could fill ANY space with his brilliance,” she later added. “I was always astonished at how fearless they were.”“Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling wrote on Twitter: “I’ll never know anyone remotely like Robbie again.

NewFest, New York’s premier LGBTQ film festival, returns for its 34th annual celebration of queer media. While there are many must-see films at this year’s festival, here are a five to add to your watch list. The film stars Emmy-nominated actor Jeremy Pope (“Hollywood”) as a young gay man who joins the Marines after a decade living on the streets. Previously, Bratton translated his experiences into documentaries about LGBTQ subjects, including 2019’s “Pier Kids,” about queer and transgender youths living at Manhattan’s Christopher Street Pier. The film’s stars include Flaherty, Wyatt Fenner, Joey Taranto and Kiyon Spencer.

☆ ‘The Joy Luck Club’ may be getting a sequel
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Almost 30 years after the groundbreaking Asian American film “The Joy Luck Club” released, plans are being made for a new movie that will catch up with the characters from the original. According to Deadline, a sequel is in development with Oscar-winning screenwriter Ron Bass and author Amy Tan that will continue the story based on her bestselling novel of the same name. The 1993 film starred Rosalind Chao, Lisa Lu, Tamlyn Tomita, and Ming-Na Wen. It told the multi-generational tale of a group of Chinese mothers and their Chinese American daughters. A director has yet to be announced for the new film.

"We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Angela Lansbury," according to statement by Actors' Equity, the union representing live stage performers. "A star of stage, TV and movies, Lansbury was an Equity member for an astounding 65 years. Angela Lansbury stars as mystery writer and crime solver Jessica Fletcher on the CBS television crime drama series "Murder, She Wrote" in 1990. The TV academy nominated Lansbury for 12 Emmys for “Murder,” although she never took home the trophy. Edgar Lansbury was mayor of the London borough of Poplar, while George Lansbury served as Labour Party leader in 1932-34.

☆ 'Amsterdam' review: Christian Bale, John David Washington and Margot Robbie head the star-studded cast in David O. Russell's historical satire
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-07 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —“Amsterdam” certainly doesn’t suffer from a lack of ambition, and the star-studded cast merely adds to that sense of grandeur. Burt (Christian Bale), a part-Jewish Park Avenue doctor whose in-laws disapprove of him, and Harold (John David Washington) bonded while serving together during World War I, where they met up with a free-spirited nurse, Valerie (Margot Robbie) who fell for Harold, forging a seemingly inseparable trio. Recovering from their war injuries, they took refuge in Amsterdam, a place where the world’s concerns – including those involving race – appeared to shrink away. Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington in 'Amsterdam.' “This is so strange,” Burt mutters at one point, which turns out to be an inadvertent commentary on the film itself.

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