(Welcome to Ani-time Ani-where, a regular column dedicated to helping the uninitiated understand and appreciate the world of anime.)
The family sitcom is a staple of American television, a genre that has drawn audiences for decades by poking fun at daily life and the perceived idea of the nuclear family. It's no wonder that the biggest American animated shows are sitcoms, like "The Simpsons," "Family Guy," and even "Rick and Morty."
I firmly believe that the easiest anime to recommend to people not already familiar with the medium are those that are in some way recognizable to them. Shows like "Attack on Titan" start out as a more messed up "The Walking Dead," and "Monster" essentially operates like an animated prestige TV drama. Also on that list is "Spy x Family" (like in "Hunter x Hunter" the x is silent), a show that embraces the absurdity that makes anime special...
The family sitcom is a staple of American television, a genre that has drawn audiences for decades by poking fun at daily life and the perceived idea of the nuclear family. It's no wonder that the biggest American animated shows are sitcoms, like "The Simpsons," "Family Guy," and even "Rick and Morty."
I firmly believe that the easiest anime to recommend to people not already familiar with the medium are those that are in some way recognizable to them. Shows like "Attack on Titan" start out as a more messed up "The Walking Dead," and "Monster" essentially operates like an animated prestige TV drama. Also on that list is "Spy x Family" (like in "Hunter x Hunter" the x is silent), a show that embraces the absurdity that makes anime special...
- 11/23/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
On May 4, 2023, Netflix released “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” with the young title queen’s marriage to King George of England ushering in a new and exciting era in the royal court. The prequel to “Bridgerton” has proved to be a hit with critics, holding fresh at 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 76 on MetaCritic, with the Rotten Tomatoes critics’ consensus saying, “A resplendent romance between two of the most interesting characters in the ‘Bridgerton’ saga, ‘Queen Charlotte’ is a spin-off that arguably perfects the primary series’ formula.” The ensemble cast includes India Amarteifio, Adjoa Andoh, Michelle Fairley, Julie Andrews, Ruth Gemmell, Corey Mylchreest, and Sam Clemmett. Here’s what a few critics have to say about the historical romance.
SEELyn Paolo and Laura Frecon (‘Queen Charlotte’ costume designers): Our job is ‘all about collaboration’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
Shania Russell of Slashfilm writes, “By virtue of being a ‘Bridgerton’ spinoff, ‘Queen Charlotte’ is...
SEELyn Paolo and Laura Frecon (‘Queen Charlotte’ costume designers): Our job is ‘all about collaboration’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
Shania Russell of Slashfilm writes, “By virtue of being a ‘Bridgerton’ spinoff, ‘Queen Charlotte’ is...
- 5/5/2023
- by Vincent Mandile
- Gold Derby
Spring is finally here, though you wouldn't know it from the snow flurries currently battering my house. Fortunately, there are plenty in the way of options to choose from, should you find yourself, like me, looking for something you can stream from the comfort of your home while you wait for the weather to get its act together. Or perhaps you don't really do the whole "leaving the house" thing very much, even when it is nice and sunny outside. Believe me, I get it, my fellow creatures of the dark.
In case you need further incentive to chill at home: HBO Max will be streaming the final season of "Succession" throughout April and it sounds as though the trainwreck that is the Roy family civil war remains as entertaining as ever, judging by Shania Russell's rapturous review of season 4 for /Film. The "Doctor Who" special "The Power of...
In case you need further incentive to chill at home: HBO Max will be streaming the final season of "Succession" throughout April and it sounds as though the trainwreck that is the Roy family civil war remains as entertaining as ever, judging by Shania Russell's rapturous review of season 4 for /Film. The "Doctor Who" special "The Power of...
- 3/24/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
On February 9, 2023, Netflix released the first batch of episodes from the fourth season of its hit series “You.” Penn Badgley returns as Joe Goldberg, a dangerously charming, intensely obsessive man who goes to extreme measures to insert himself into the lives of those he is transfixed by. Tati Gabrielle reprises her role as Marienne Bellamy, with Charlotte Ritchie, Tilly Keeper, Amy-Leigh Hickman, Ed Speleers and Lukas Gage joining the main cast.
Early reviews for the new season are predominantly positive, earning this chapter an impressive 89 freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Five episodes are currently available on the streaming platform with the remainder scheduled for a March 9 release. Read our full review roundup below.
See Penn Badgley explains why he won’t do sex scenes on ‘You’ anymore
Maggie Fremont of TV Guide writes, “Aside from reminding us of Joe’s sociopathic perspective on his own life (and rampant avoidance of...
Early reviews for the new season are predominantly positive, earning this chapter an impressive 89 freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Five episodes are currently available on the streaming platform with the remainder scheduled for a March 9 release. Read our full review roundup below.
See Penn Badgley explains why he won’t do sex scenes on ‘You’ anymore
Maggie Fremont of TV Guide writes, “Aside from reminding us of Joe’s sociopathic perspective on his own life (and rampant avoidance of...
- 2/13/2023
- by Vincent Mandile
- Gold Derby
This post contains spoilers for "The Last of Us" episode 5.
On HBO's "The Last of Us," if a character's name isn't Joel or Ellie, chances are they're going to die a horrible death. That includes Kathleen, the ruthless Kansas City resistance leader played by "Yellowjackets" star Melanie Lynskey. When Kathleen makes her entrance in episode 4, she's obsessed with finding Henry (Lamar Johnson), but it's not until episode 5 that we learn the reason for that. By then, Kathleen's two-episode arc has come to a close in a standoff with a child clicker that doesn't end well for her.
As /Film's Shania Russell recently observed, Kathleen and Henry are "mirror images of one another." Henry betrayed Kathleen's resistance-leader brother, handing him over to Fedra to obtain leukemia medicine for his own deaf younger brother, Sam (Keivonn Montreal Woodard). He's willing to do anything to save his sibling, while Kathleen is willing to do anything to avenge hers.
On HBO's "The Last of Us," if a character's name isn't Joel or Ellie, chances are they're going to die a horrible death. That includes Kathleen, the ruthless Kansas City resistance leader played by "Yellowjackets" star Melanie Lynskey. When Kathleen makes her entrance in episode 4, she's obsessed with finding Henry (Lamar Johnson), but it's not until episode 5 that we learn the reason for that. By then, Kathleen's two-episode arc has come to a close in a standoff with a child clicker that doesn't end well for her.
As /Film's Shania Russell recently observed, Kathleen and Henry are "mirror images of one another." Henry betrayed Kathleen's resistance-leader brother, handing him over to Fedra to obtain leukemia medicine for his own deaf younger brother, Sam (Keivonn Montreal Woodard). He's willing to do anything to save his sibling, while Kathleen is willing to do anything to avenge hers.
- 2/13/2023
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
This is probably a hot take, but Walt Disney Animation's many canceled projects often sound a lot more interesting than the films they end up releasing. Sure, there might have been legitimate reasons as to why these films get canned, but a lot of them either looked visually stunning in concept art or had unique plots that would have been cool to see on the big screen.
One of these fabled canceled projects was "Fraidy Cat," a homage to Alfred Hitchcock's noir and suspense films. Little has been released about the project since its supposed cancelation in 2005, and even fewer pieces of art have been released to give us an idea of what it would have looked like. It's a real shame as well because it sounds like it could have been a hit with critics and audiences alike.
However, 17 years after its cancelation, we have a clearer idea...
One of these fabled canceled projects was "Fraidy Cat," a homage to Alfred Hitchcock's noir and suspense films. Little has been released about the project since its supposed cancelation in 2005, and even fewer pieces of art have been released to give us an idea of what it would have looked like. It's a real shame as well because it sounds like it could have been a hit with critics and audiences alike.
However, 17 years after its cancelation, we have a clearer idea...
- 12/28/2022
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
Adam West Was Cast As A Conspiracy Theorist In Emperor's New Groove, But Was Cut From The Final Film
"The Emperor's New Groove" is a famously weird Disney movie that was almost even weirder. The delightfully offbeat David Spade comedy has endured several reassessments since its 2000 release, going from a notoriously troubled production (as documented by Vulture in that outlet's great oral history) to a middling box office performer to an enduring cult favorite.
In the years since the saga about an emperor-turned-llama on a quest to regain his human form hit theaters, a seemingly endless number of behind-the-scenes anecdotes have come to light about the movie that almost was. At one point, Vulture notes, the film was meant as a more straightforward adventure saga called "Empire of the Sun," which would've been led by Owen Wilson with a full soundtrack from Sting. That version of the flick never happened, and the movie continued to evolve drastically until it became the irreverent, kooky comedy audiences ended up with. One...
In the years since the saga about an emperor-turned-llama on a quest to regain his human form hit theaters, a seemingly endless number of behind-the-scenes anecdotes have come to light about the movie that almost was. At one point, Vulture notes, the film was meant as a more straightforward adventure saga called "Empire of the Sun," which would've been led by Owen Wilson with a full soundtrack from Sting. That version of the flick never happened, and the movie continued to evolve drastically until it became the irreverent, kooky comedy audiences ended up with. One...
- 12/28/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
As a vocal and dedicated champion of all things animation, I have no shame in admitting to having some borderline "hipster opinions" about Disney movies. For starters, I firmly believe that Stephen J. Anderson's "Meet the Robinsons," the second all-cgi film for the company, is one of the best films to come out of Walt Disney Animation Studios -- ever. The film celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, but it remains an under-appreciated feature in the canon of Disney classics.
Loosely based on William Joyce's book "A Day with Wilbur Robinson," Disney's "Meet the Robinsons" centers on an orphaned boy genius named Lewis, who invents a machine with the ability to extract and project memories. Unfortunately, a mysterious villain known as Bowler Hat Guy steals it. Lewis feels hopeless, that is until a time traveler named Wilbur Robinson arrives to bring him to the future. Lewis is thrust...
Loosely based on William Joyce's book "A Day with Wilbur Robinson," Disney's "Meet the Robinsons" centers on an orphaned boy genius named Lewis, who invents a machine with the ability to extract and project memories. Unfortunately, a mysterious villain known as Bowler Hat Guy steals it. Lewis feels hopeless, that is until a time traveler named Wilbur Robinson arrives to bring him to the future. Lewis is thrust...
- 12/28/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
(Welcome to ...And More, our no-frills, zero B.S. guide to when and where you can watch upcoming movies and shows, and everything else you could possibly stand to know.)
Kelvin Harrison Jr. has been on quite the biopic tip of late. For the record, I'm not complaining. Since breaking out in "Waves," Harrison has proven his mettle as one of the most exhilarating young actors working today. Watching him in anything is a total treat because no matter the project, no matter the character, Harrison always brings an exciting, earnest perspective.
After appearing as B.B. King in Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis" — and before transforming into the "Radiant Child" himself, Jean-Michel Basquiat, for "Samo Lives" — Harrison is set to star in the classical music biopic, "Chevalier." The film has already garnered fresh interest after debuting a trailer in November, so here's everything you need to know about the forthcoming film and more.
Kelvin Harrison Jr. has been on quite the biopic tip of late. For the record, I'm not complaining. Since breaking out in "Waves," Harrison has proven his mettle as one of the most exhilarating young actors working today. Watching him in anything is a total treat because no matter the project, no matter the character, Harrison always brings an exciting, earnest perspective.
After appearing as B.B. King in Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis" — and before transforming into the "Radiant Child" himself, Jean-Michel Basquiat, for "Samo Lives" — Harrison is set to star in the classical music biopic, "Chevalier." The film has already garnered fresh interest after debuting a trailer in November, so here's everything you need to know about the forthcoming film and more.
- 11/14/2022
- by Lyvie Scott
- Slash Film
For the past two seasons of the Duffer Brothers' hit Netflix series "Stranger Things," Sadie Sink has stolen hearts as her tomboyish character Max Mayfield slowly became the Mvp of the show. From season 2 to the present (and with a fifth season left to go), Max has gone from arcade whiz to one of the most resilient members of "The Party" alongside Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), and the gifted Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). Together, the group goes up against the ever-growing borders of the extra-dimensional Upside Down and the villains that emerge from it.
Season 4 sees some of Sink's all-time favorite scenes for her character's evolution, she tells The Backstage. "Max has been such a huge part of my life," she adds, "and is almost like this other voice in my head that I can turn on and off.
Season 4 sees some of Sink's all-time favorite scenes for her character's evolution, she tells The Backstage. "Max has been such a huge part of my life," she adds, "and is almost like this other voice in my head that I can turn on and off.
- 11/11/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Among the myriad of movies that premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival, few have been discussed or hyped in the days since their premiere as much as "Nanny." Nikyatu Jusu's directorial debut and the winner of Sundance's prestigious Grand Jury Prize in the U.S. Dramatic Competition drew up critical acclaim upon its premiere, with /Film's Shania Russell saying it "innovates in both lore and form" by "never [shying] away from the power of vibrance."
From the imagery shown in the recently released first trailer, this description doesn't seem so far off. Aisha (Anna Diop) is a young Senegalese immigrant who is trying to begin the U.S. naturalization process. Unfortunately, this means having to leave her young son in the care of her family back home. In order to get the money needed to begin the citizenship proceedings, she takes the titular job for Upper East Side couple...
From the imagery shown in the recently released first trailer, this description doesn't seem so far off. Aisha (Anna Diop) is a young Senegalese immigrant who is trying to begin the U.S. naturalization process. Unfortunately, this means having to leave her young son in the care of her family back home. In order to get the money needed to begin the citizenship proceedings, she takes the titular job for Upper East Side couple...
- 8/30/2022
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
Lost Ollie Director Peter Ramsey On Treating VFX Teams Like True Collaborators [Exclusive Interview]
"Lost Ollie" is a new animation/live-action hybrid show that tells the story of a lost patchwork bunny embarking on a fantastical adventure to try and reunite with his best friend, a human boy named Billy. Along the way, he faces wonders, horrors, betrayal, action, and more. In her review for /Film, Shania Russell wrote: "'Lost Ollie' doesn't need to be a grand epic or end-of-the-world type quest. It's still a beautiful reminder of what it feels like to be wandering and what it truly means to find your way home."
The show may tread familiar ground compared to stories in "Toy Story" or "The Velveteen Rabbit," but it manages to stand out thanks to great animation from Ilm and a series of emotional gut punches that hit as hard as any Pixar movie. The show, which was created by Shannon Tindle, also features a great cast that includes Jonathan Groff,...
The show may tread familiar ground compared to stories in "Toy Story" or "The Velveteen Rabbit," but it manages to stand out thanks to great animation from Ilm and a series of emotional gut punches that hit as hard as any Pixar movie. The show, which was created by Shannon Tindle, also features a great cast that includes Jonathan Groff,...
- 8/25/2022
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
"Lost Ollie" is Netflix's latest limited series, an animation/live-action hybrid with a narrative that will be familiar to everyone who has seen "Toy Story" or "The Velveteen Rabbit." It follows a patchwork bunny who has lost his human and best friend, Billy, and subsequently embarks on an epic adventure to be reunited with him.
The series packs more emotional gut punches than any warning can prepare you for, but it is still a delightful and fun adventure in the vein of a Mark Twain novel. It also has an incredible cast that includes Jonathan Groff, Tim Blake Nelson, Mary J. Blige, Gina Rodriguez, and Jake Johnson. Sure, the mid-point can be a bit repetitive and slow, but the pay-off of the show can easily cue the waterworks. In her review for /Film, Shania Russell wrote: "'Lost Ollie' doesn't need to be a grand epic or end-of-the-world type quest.
The series packs more emotional gut punches than any warning can prepare you for, but it is still a delightful and fun adventure in the vein of a Mark Twain novel. It also has an incredible cast that includes Jonathan Groff, Tim Blake Nelson, Mary J. Blige, Gina Rodriguez, and Jake Johnson. Sure, the mid-point can be a bit repetitive and slow, but the pay-off of the show can easily cue the waterworks. In her review for /Film, Shania Russell wrote: "'Lost Ollie' doesn't need to be a grand epic or end-of-the-world type quest.
- 8/23/2022
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
An unending barrage of poor dating matches. Unsolicited nudes. Dinner dates dripping with cringe. Mimi Cave's directorial debut "Fresh" tackles the pitfalls of the modern dating scene. The story is told particularly from a straight woman's perspective: Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is like any woman of today, gingerly but desperately trying to gauge whether the man sitting across from her was raised right, or if he's trying to picture her head on a stick. What begins as a rom-com (complete with a grocery store meet-cute) takes a sharp turn into harder genre territory in what /Film's Shania Russell calls a "shameless and hilariously...
The post Fresh Trailer: Daisy-Edgar Jones and Sebastian Stan Star in This Twisted Romance appeared first on /Film.
The post Fresh Trailer: Daisy-Edgar Jones and Sebastian Stan Star in This Twisted Romance appeared first on /Film.
- 2/15/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson's Oscar-nominated documentary "Summer of Soul" is about to be seen by a lot more people. The film, which is Thompson's directorial debut, is set to air on ABC on February 20 at 8 p.m. Est. (It runs for two hours in case you want to let your kids stay up late just this once.) This is one of those films that you absolutely cannot skip, especially if you're missing live concerts right now, as our Shania Russell recommends. /Film's Ben Pearson also gave "Summer of Soul" a fantastic review back at last year's Sundance Film...
The post Oscar-Nominated Doc Summer of Soul Will Air on ABC appeared first on /Film.
The post Oscar-Nominated Doc Summer of Soul Will Air on ABC appeared first on /Film.
- 2/11/2022
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
On the February 8, 2022 episode of /Film Daily, /Film editor Ben Pearson is joined by /Film staff writer Shania Russell to discuss the 2022 Oscar nominations.
Opening Banter:
In The News:
The 2022 Oscar Nominations Are Here
The 2022 Oscar Nominations By The Numbers
Steven Spielberg Has Been Nominated For Oscars In Six Different Decades
Kenneth Branagh Has Now Been Nominated For Seven Oscars, All In Different Categories
The Deaf Community Now Has Its Second-Ever Oscar Nominee
Also mentioned:
All the other stuff you need to know:
You can find more about all the stories we mentioned on today's show at slashfilm.com, and linked...
The post Daily Podcast: Reacting to the 2022 Oscar Nominations appeared first on /Film.
Opening Banter:
In The News:
The 2022 Oscar Nominations Are Here
The 2022 Oscar Nominations By The Numbers
Steven Spielberg Has Been Nominated For Oscars In Six Different Decades
Kenneth Branagh Has Now Been Nominated For Seven Oscars, All In Different Categories
The Deaf Community Now Has Its Second-Ever Oscar Nominee
Also mentioned:
All the other stuff you need to know:
You can find more about all the stories we mentioned on today's show at slashfilm.com, and linked...
The post Daily Podcast: Reacting to the 2022 Oscar Nominations appeared first on /Film.
- 2/8/2022
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
On the February 1, 2022 episode of /Film Daily, /Film editor Ben Pearson is joined by /Film editors Brad Oman and Chris Evangelista and staff writer Shania Russell to discuss our favorite movies from the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.
Opening Banter: Congrats to Chris, and welcome to Shania!
In Our Feature Presentation:
Shania
Fresh
Nanny
Cha Cha Real Smooth (Apple TV+)
Chris
Something in the Dirt
Emily the Criminal
Resurrection
Brad
After Yang
Emergency (Amazon)
Brian and Charles (Focus Features, in theaters and on...
The post Daily Podcast: Our Favorite Movies From Sundance 2022 appeared first on /Film.
Opening Banter: Congrats to Chris, and welcome to Shania!
In Our Feature Presentation:
Shania
Fresh
Nanny
Cha Cha Real Smooth (Apple TV+)
Chris
Something in the Dirt
Emily the Criminal
Resurrection
Brad
After Yang
Emergency (Amazon)
Brian and Charles (Focus Features, in theaters and on...
The post Daily Podcast: Our Favorite Movies From Sundance 2022 appeared first on /Film.
- 2/1/2022
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
In Lauren Hadaway's "The Novice," Isabelle Furhman plays an obsessed collegiate rower who will do anything to rise to the top, a role that makes heavy demands of anyone brave enough to step into it. /Film's own Shania Russell sat down with Furhman ("Escape Room") to talk about "The Novice" and Furhman's dedication to the lead role. But a revealing tangent developed, addressing the actor's memorable turn in Jaume Collet-Serra's 2009 psychological horror movie "Orphan," which has an upcoming prequel, "Orphan: First Kill," coming out in January of 2022 with Furhman reprising her role as perpetual bad seed Leena Klammer/Esther.
Spoilers...
The post Isabelle Fuhrman Had 'Free Rein' With Her Performance in Orphan: First Kill [Exclusive] appeared first on /Film.
Spoilers...
The post Isabelle Fuhrman Had 'Free Rein' With Her Performance in Orphan: First Kill [Exclusive] appeared first on /Film.
- 12/17/2021
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Did you catch the "Frasier" reference in "The Harder They Fall?" A '90s sitcom about a Seattle psychiatrist might be an unlikely source of inspiration for a Western with warring gangs of gunslingers, but it's just one of the many influences that writer-director Jeymes Samuel incorporated into the movie.
/Film's Shania Russell recently conducted a wide-ranging interview with "The Harder They Fall" editor Tom Eagle, who said, "This is the only movie I can think of that has references to Malcolm X and Frasier in the same movie — and that tells you everything you need to know about Jeymes."
Another source of...
The post The Harder They Fall Took Inspiration From The Godfather Part II [Exclusive] appeared first on /Film.
/Film's Shania Russell recently conducted a wide-ranging interview with "The Harder They Fall" editor Tom Eagle, who said, "This is the only movie I can think of that has references to Malcolm X and Frasier in the same movie — and that tells you everything you need to know about Jeymes."
Another source of...
The post The Harder They Fall Took Inspiration From The Godfather Part II [Exclusive] appeared first on /Film.
- 11/13/2021
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
In "The Harder They Fall," Regina King's character, Trudy Smith, plays lieutenant to the cowboy gang leader Rufus Buck, played by Idris Elba. She's one member of an ensemble cast that also includes Lakeith Stanfield, Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, and Delroy Lindo. The film juggles numerous characters, and editor Tom Eagle had his work laid out for him in the cutting room.
When you have so many great actors but only two-plus hours to tell a story, how do you decide which parts to keep? In an interview with /Film's Shania Russell, Eagle said that the performances...
The post How Regina King Earned More Screen Time in The Harder They Fall [Exclusive] appeared first on /Film.
When you have so many great actors but only two-plus hours to tell a story, how do you decide which parts to keep? In an interview with /Film's Shania Russell, Eagle said that the performances...
The post How Regina King Earned More Screen Time in The Harder They Fall [Exclusive] appeared first on /Film.
- 11/12/2021
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
Hiya, /Film readers, it’s ya girl, Shania. No wait, that’s a lie, I’m actually very new here and not ya girl at all. But guess what? That’s what this article is all about! This is my first official hurrah, where I’ve been asked to introduce myself via my 15 favorite movies. Which is very exciting, […]
The post Shania Russell’s Favorite Movies of All Time appeared first on /Film.
The post Shania Russell’s Favorite Movies of All Time appeared first on /Film.
- 7/30/2021
- by Shania Russell
- Slash Film
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.