Day: October 18, 2024

He was in the iconic hit teen movie Clueless in 1995 with Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd.

I don’t know how to speak Russian, but I can understand it. This sentiment struck me like a surprise as I watched director Sean Baker’s latest movie, Anora. The line is whispered hesitantly by Anora (played by Mikey Madison), the main character who is both Russian-speaking and Uzbek-American sex worker, often referred to as Ani in a more Americanized manner. As her boss at a New York City strip club asks her to meet a new client, Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn), a twenty-something son of a Russian oligarch, the line becomes significant.

This tale was initially shared in the year 2023 when “Woman of the Hour” made its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival. Now, we’re re-sharing it as the film becomes available on Netflix starting October 18, 2024.

On my last birthday, I chose to celebrate by doing something I truly cherish – going bowling. It was an extraordinary day spent in the company of my adored parents and my precious girlfriend, Kate Cassidy. Regrettably, this heartfelt moment came only a few weeks before my untimely passing.

The fourth season of “Outer Banks” debuted on October 10th. We’ve held off writing about it as long as we could, but there are numerous questions left unanswered that need to be addressed in the second half of “Outer Banks” season 4.

In an unprecedented manner, the initial installment of “Andor” surpassed all expectations for a “Star Wars” TV series or film, presenting a thoughtful, adult narrative that delved into the oppressive bureaucracy of the Empire and the sacrifices made by rebels on the fringe. Although I appreciate the traditional lighter, family-oriented approach of “Star Wars,” “Andor” offered a fresh, captivating twist that left viewers eager for more, anticipating the show’s second and concluding season.

During the 1980s, under Reagan’s rule and with the decline of liberation movements from the past two decades, a collective sense of unease swept through mainstream society. Unverified tales of satanic cults proliferating nationwide were given credence by television news personalities such as Geraldo Rivera, and even the FBI deemed them serious threats. Childcare providers found themselves embroiled in sensational, widely publicized court cases accusing them of ritualistic child abuse. Even seemingly harmless forms of teenage rebellion like heavy metal music fandom or playing Dungeons & Dragons could result in a teenager being labeled as a cultist—or even a murderer. This prolonged wave of mass hysteria, known as the satanic panic, was not grounded in real occult violence. However, as Hugh Downs pointed out in a somewhat humorous 1985 20/20 segment titled “The Devil Worshippers”: “It is clear that something unusual is happening.

“Do you know Sean Baker?”