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Tag: Entertainment – Variety

  • John Abraham Starts Shooting Ribhu Dasgupta’s Psychological Thriller ‘Guru’ (EXCLUSIVE)

    John Abraham Starts Shooting Ribhu Dasgupta’s Psychological Thriller ‘Guru’ (EXCLUSIVE)

    Principal photography has commenced on “Guru,” a Bollywood psychological thriller starring John Abraham and directed by Ribhu Dasgupta.

    The film also stars Danish Pandor, Arif Zakaria and Kitu Gidwani.

    Dasgupta is known for his work in the thriller genre. His credits include the Netflix series “Bard of Blood,” as well as “Girl on the Train” and “Te3n.” He is also attached to the upcoming “Section 84 IPC.”

    Set against a backdrop of unsettling mystery, “Guru” follows a man whose life begins to change when he realizes that something is not right, and that his memory and his reality are two distinct things. As strange events unfold around him, he starts questioning his own perception of reality and wondering whom he can rely on. The story brings together Abraham, Pandor, Zakaria and Gidwani in a plot where memory and reality steadily converge.

    “The world of ‘Guru’ is unsettling. Anything which has depth in terms of story, treatment and performance, at the same time gives you something to relish, excites and challenges a filmmaker. I have been wanting to collaborate with John for a long time and ‘Guru’ is that script with that destiny,” Dasgupta said.

    “‘Guru’ is the kind of story that stays with you long after you’ve read it. What drew me to the film was the uncertainty at its core – when you can’t trust your own memory, reality itself becomes a question. The storyline is layered, unsettling and deeply intriguing, and I’m excited for audiences to experience it,” Abraham added.

    The film is produced by Authum Entertainment, Shibasish Sarkar, JA Entertainment and Fusion Flicks.

  • Emmys Hit 6.7 Million Viewers, Down 9% From Last Year

    Emmys Hit 6.7 Million Viewers, Down 9% From Last Year

    NBC’s telecast of the 78th Emmy Awards hit 6.7 million viewers on Monday night, per Nielsen.

    That total marks a 9% decrease from last year’s ceremony on CBS, which brought in 7.4 million viewers — the award show’s best performance since 2021.

    It should be noted, though, that the 2025 ceremony took place on a Sunday, making it easier for viewers to sit down for a three-hour telecast. Compared to the most recent Monday night Emmys — televised by Fox in 2024 — NBC accomplished a 41% increase. But since that telecast, which hit only a meager 4.4 million viewers, was the first in Emmys history to air with fierce competition from an NFL playoff game, the most accurate comparison is perhaps to NBC’s own Monday night Emmys in 2022. In those terms, the network’s latest Emmy efforts made a 10% improvement, up from 5.9 million viewers.

    Hosted by “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” star Mariska Hargitay, the Emmys did air against an NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos. Even with that competition, it drew enough viewers to rank as the the most-watched non-sports, non-news Monday telecast of 2026, both overall and among adults age 18-49. Hargitay referenced the football game in a pre-recorded sketch featuring a cameo from Taylor Swift, musing that the pop star wouldn’t be able to attend the show because she’d be supporting her husband, Chiefs player Travis Kelce.

    According to NBCUniversal, the Emmys generated 133 million social views, counted across Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. The company touts that that marks a 90% increase from 2025.

    It appears that this was the Emmys’ last year on a traditional broadcaster. After 31 years of rotating between NBC, CBS, Fox and ABC, the TV Academy is now in talks with Amazon Prime Video.

  • ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 35 Kicks Off With Voting Glitch During Premiere

    ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 35 Kicks Off With Voting Glitch During Premiere

    “Dancing With the Stars” may have had too many voters than it could handle. After the second dance of the Sept. 15 Season 35 premiere, hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro revealed that online voting is down and audiences could only vote via text.

    Then, following the third number, the hosts revealed that all online votes that did go through would be thrown out and only texted votes would count for the first night. And just to complicate things a bit more, there are two different Connor/ers in this competition — so to vote for Conner Leavitt or Connor Wood, viewers need to text Conner L or Connor W.

    This week’s premiere is split into two nights, with Tuesday night for the male celebrities — and one going home at the end of the episode — and Wednesday for the female celebrities and one of them being eliminated.

    Here’s a breakdown of all the dances and scores from night one — we will continue to update as the night goes on:

    Jackson Olson and Emma Slater — Cha-Cha to “Wannabe” by Spice Girls
    15/30

    Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess — Tango to “Are You Gonna Go My Way” by Lenny Kravitz
    17/30

    Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman — Salsa to “Whoomp! There It Is” by Tag Team
    12/30

    Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson — Cha-Cha to “Mr. Big Stuff” by Jean Knight
    10/30

    Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach — Tango to “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson
    20/30

    Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart — Quickstep to “Tell Her About It” by Billy Joel

    Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson — Cha-Cha to “Let’s Groove” by Earth, Wind & Fire

    Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold — Cha-Cha to “I Like It, I Love It” by Tim McGraw

  • Chase Infiniti on TIFF Breakout ‘The Julia Set,’ Love Bombing and Music Video Stardom

    “The Julia Set” has emerged as one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.

    In her feature debut, writer-director Niki Byrne crafted a perfect showcase for the talents of “One Battle After Another” breakout Chase Infiniti. The latter has earned raves for her turn as a math genius stuck under the thumb of an abusive boyfriend (and an academic system designed to ignore and exploit her).

    “Julia’s off-the-charts intelligence, which Infiniti embodies with exquisite conviction, changes the stakes of the movie; we’re rooting for her emotional salvation, but we’re also rooting for her to dazzle the universe with her talent,” wrote Variety’s Owen Gleiberman in his TIFF review.

    Indeed, Infiniti’s wide-eyed portrait of a prodigy is equal parts inspired and frustrating. Julia is recruited by a study group drilling for the Putnam Test — a six-hour math competition for undergraduates considered the most prestigious in the world. When Julia’s teacher’s assistant Pascal (Christopher Briney) comes hard and fast with romantic feelings, we watch Infiniti’s Julia struggle to balance blossoming romance with the obligation she has to her extraordinary gifts.

    Variety caught up with Byrne and Infiniti on the ground in Toronto this week, where the film premiered and is currently shopping for distribution

    Niki, you’ve had an interesting trajectory. You were an aerial photographer and a licensed race car driver. How did we get to writer-director?

    Niki Byrne: Everything I’ve done make sense in reverse. I came back to California from Europe in 2018 and started working in L.A. I was writing quite a bit at that point, and I knew I wanted to write and direct. I took Martin Scorsese’s master class, where he said if you’re going to be a director of any quality you must take acting classes. So, I did and found it super valuable. I’ve worked in almost every department on a film set and found acting incredibly difficult.

    Why?

    NB: When acting is done poorly, it’s the easiest job on set. When it’s done well, it’s by far the hardest. I wrote this movie during [COVID] lockdown and came out with this sort of weird confessional script and linked arms with [my producers] and we went on the hunt for our Julia. Then this one walked into a coffee shop in Koreatown.

    Chase, how long ago was that?

    Chase Infiniti: Three years ago. I was a month into shooting “Presumed Innocent.”

    And you did “One Battle After Another” between then and now, crazy. One of the things that struck me about this performance is how restrained your character is – even in the face of serious abuse and mistreatment from people and systems.

    CI: Well, it was a gift getting to bring Niki’s work to the screen. I was instantly drawn to it because Julia is a wonderful human being. It felt like telling a very real story that feels central to growing up. I had a Pascal, of sorts, [in my own life]. Everyone has. I remember a point in time where I was about 18, trying to figure out who I was and scared to show the world my talent. It’s hard to allow yourself to do that.

    I think a lot of people might say that math is the antithesis of artistic work. How much did you have to engage with actual math problems?

    CI: I had to pull from my own experience and flip it in a way that worked for what Julia was going through. I am not a math genius! Math is not my forte. I picked something else in my life that I felt I performed strongly at. I used that to build my confidence with math in the movie.

    And what was that thing you pulled from?

    CI: I think I’m pretty good at my job. I thought about how I feel about performing in general, and used that to create Julia’s energy behind her math skills.

    Another thing that struck me about this film is that it’s one of the clearest examples of “love bombing” I’ve ever seen. There’s a scene where Julia is Pascal a surprise dinner at this apartment, using a key he gave her, and reacts as though she’s robbing the place.

    NB: There were a lot of tears on set that night. Of all the moments we shot, the crew was gently sobbing during that one. We did multiple takes, and he would come in and be so unkind to her, and then she’d break and we’d all be gutted.

    It’s also an important red flag that Pascal is capable of some monstrous things. Chase, not only is your Julia very retreating about her talent – she’s a socioeconomic underdog at her school and a woman of color. How does that inform the character in relation to her wealthy white boyfriend?

    CI: Julia is always doing the next best thing for herself, and also for Pascal. Unfortunately, women of color don’t have the luxury of thinking only about themselves. They’re thinking for everyone around them. This is especially [true] in an abusive relationship. Women of color are some of the most unprotected people in society.

    I have to pivot and ask you about your newfound music video stardom. You were amazing in the Ateez video for “Bad.”

    CI: I just absolutely love them so much. Niki has heard so much about it. The first time we met I told her she had to listen to them. I made her listen to “Ice on My Teeth.”

    You know everyone’s going to want you to do a musical now that we’ve seen you sing and dance.

    CI: I mean – I would love to sing and dance in a musical.

  • Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2026 Unveils Lineup: Premieres Include Parisian Vampires, Body Horror and More Wild Genre Tales (EXCLUSIVE)

    Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2026 Unveils Lineup: Premieres Include Parisian Vampires, Body Horror and More Wild Genre Tales (EXCLUSIVE)

    This year’s Brooklyn Horror Film Festival is back and spookier than ever!

    Variety can exclusively reveal this year’s stacked lineup, which is set to run from Oct. 15—22, with all screenings taking place at Nitehawk Cinema Williamsburg.

    Vampire mockumentary “I Love Paris” opens the fest, with the New York premiere of “Species (Sanguine)” as the centerpiece film and the action-horror feature “Kick On” as the closing night film. Throughout the festival are plenty of world and regional premieres, special events, retrospective screenings, documentaries and many more films of note.

    Badges are now on sale, and a limited number of tickets are set to go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. ET.

    See the full lineup below.

    Films

    I LOVE PARIS
    OPENING NIGHT FILM
    PRESENTED BY MUBI
    Australia, France | 2026 | 120 Min. | Dir. Nicky Murphy
    Aspiring underground singer Paris is bitten and turned into a vampire but, instead of letting her dreams of music stardom die, her hustle only goes harder and bloodier.

    SPECIES (SANGUINE)
    CENTERPIECE FILM
    New York Premiere
    France | 2026 | 103 Min. | Dir. Marion Le Corroller
    A young intern at a prestigious ER struggles to keep up with the fast-paced environment, and when a strange disease begins appearing in a number of her patients, she starts suffering from her own bodily symptoms.

    KICK ON
    CLOSING NIGHT FILM
    New York Premiere
    Australia | 2026 | 91 Min. | Dir. Nick Kozakis
    What starts off as a wild night of partying devolves into a brutal fight for survival when four friends cross paths with a mobster’s unhinged son in this gruesome new entry in the single-location siege horror canon.

    THE GLORIOUS DEAD
    Presented by Arrow Video
    Leviathan Award
    New York Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 80 Min. | Dir. John Adams, Toby Poser
    What should be a typical day in the life for a small-town sheriff quickly turns sinister as people begin to disappear and fleshy creatures begin popping up all around them.

    AMERICAN DOLLHOUSE
    New York Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 87 Min. | Dir. John Valley
    A woman living a drama-riddled life returns to her childhood home for what she hopes can be a clean start but, no thanks to her psychotic and homicidal new neighbor, doesn’t go as planned.

    CORPUS
    Presented by MUBI
    USA | 2026 | 102 Min. | Dir. Corrin Evans
    A photographer takes a trip to Upstate NY with his longtime friend and unrequited love, but the trip takes a turn when their three mysterious hosts begin to show they have ulterior motives.

    THE CYCLE
    East Coast Premiere
    UK | 2026 | 112 Min. | Dir. Jordan Downey
    When her estranged father’s corpse is discovered at a grisly crime scene, Meg is dragged into the investigation to uncover why — when he’s been missing for over three decades.

    THE DEN
    USA | 2026 | 77 Min. | Dir. Zachary Donohue
    While studying the behaviors of webcam users, a sociology student witnesses a murder and becomes the killer’s next target in this early and underrated entry in the “screenlife” horror canon.

    ERIE
    East Coast Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 89 Min. | Dir. Alison-Eve Hammersley
    Aided by her skeptical older brother, a young girl launches her own investigation into their sister’s mysterious death, connecting it to a string of local suicides whose explanations may or may not be supernatural.

    FULL MOON RISING: THE CHARLES BAND STORY
    North American Premiere
    UK | 2026 | 94 Min. | Sarah Appleton
    From his days revolutionizing the home video market to producing classics like FROM BEYOND and RE-ANIMATOR and running the influential Full Moon Features, indie maverick Charles Band’s illustrious career is front and center in this entertaining and inspiring documentary.

    GHOST IN THE MACHINE (35mm)
    USA | 1993 | 95 Min. | Dir. Rachel Talalay
    After he’s killed in a car accident, a serial killer’s soul is uploaded into a computer system, enabling him to find technological ways to try to kill the woman he was targeting before his death.

    GODHEAD
    East Coast Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 98 Min. | Dir. Mark H. Rapaport
    A pair of oddball, possibly dangerous twins force a priest to make a series of painful and potentially Biblical decisions in this singular blend of pitch-black comedy and surrealist horror.

    J.D.’S REVENGE (35mm)
    USA | 1976 | 95 Min. | Dir. Arthur Marks
    Hell-bent on getting some long-overdue revenge, the ghost of a New Orleans gangster inhabits the body of a young black law student in this Blaxploitation horror gem.

    LITTLE DOORS
    New York Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 77 Min. | Dir. Anthony Oberback
    A woman doing her best to survive day to day in an apocalyptic world finds a small door on the side of her body and contemplates opening it to see what’s inside.

    MOUNTAIN KING
    East Coast Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 94 Min. | Dir. Gabrielle Christensen
    Surprising her boyfriend unannounced at his family home in Scandinavia, Hannah is determined to prove she can be part of the family no matter how increasingly dark their traditions seem to be.

    NIGHT AFTER NIGHT
    East Coast Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 86 Min. | Dir. Josh Lobo
    When his fellow security guard vanishes, Andy is overwhelmed with paranoia about their enigmatic workplace’s intentions and the disturbing phenomenon kept hidden in the building’s new wing.

    THE ONLY ONE
    World Premiere
    Australia | 2026 | 99 Min. | Dir. Michael Schwarz
    When her exes are suddenly being murdered one by one, suspicion falls on Zoe and it’s up to her and a ragtag team of old friends to prove her innocence and figure out the identity of the masked Prince Charming killer.

    OPI
    North American Premiere
    Poland | 2026 | 96 Min. | Dir. Marta Giec
    Shortly before her 18th birthday, a young woman’s already complicated home life gets upended by the arrival of an aunt and grandmother she’s never met before, triggering her family’s downward spiral into nightmarish folk horror.

    THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC (with live score)
    France | 1928 | 81 Min. | Dir. Carl Theodore Dreyer
    A towering achievement of the silent-film era, THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC equals and oftentimes eclipses the horror of any other masterwork from the 1920’s. Live music accompaniment by The Flushing Remonstrance.

    THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS
    USA | 1991 | 103 Min. | Dir. Wes Craven
    Two criminals and their teenage accomplice find themselves stuck inside the booby-trap-riddled home of their ghetto neighborhood’s evil landlords in Wes Craven’s massively entertaining marriage of horror-comedy and social commentary.

    POSTHUMOUS
    East Coast Premiere
    Australia | 2026 | 110 Min. | Dir. Josh Tanner
    After returning to her childhood home, a troubled woman becomes enamored with VHS birthday tapes left behind by her late mother that gradually reveal a secret family connection to the occult.

    ROMA ELASTICA
    Presented by MUBI
    New York Premiere
    France, Italy | 2026 | 107 Min. | Dir. Bertrand Mandico
    A struggling French actress travels to Rome to work on a science fiction film which sends her spiraling and threatens to make this the last film she makes.

    RUBBERHEAD: THE LIFE & MONSTERS OF STEVE JOHNSON
    East Coast Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 106 Min. | Dir. Nick Taylor
    Tracks the spectacular rise and swift fall of practical SFX master Steve Johnson while taking viewers on an impressively candid and revealing overview of the glory days of special effects makeup.

    SENDER
    New York Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 94 Min. | Dir. Russell Goldman
    A newly sober woman begins to find a disturbing amount of daily packages she never ordered on her doorstep, setting her off on a paranoid and dizzying investigation to discover her tormentors.

    SLAY
    East Coast Premiere
    Presented by MUBI
    USA | 2026 | 89 Min. | Dir. Kyra Elise Gardner
    After her friend is brutally murdered, a young social media star heads to a cabin in the woods with friends for what’s meant to be a distracting good time but turns into a bloodbath when a masked killer crashes the party.

    SPLIT ROCK
    North American Premiere
    Canada | 2026 | 98 Min. | Dir. Ryan Glover
    A group of geologists discover a strange anomaly in the desert and as they continue their research their thirst for knowledge threatens to put them in grave danger against an ancient horror.

    SUNDOWN
    East Coast Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 79 Min. | Dir. Rebekah McKendry
    A trio of blood-related women seeking vengeance kidnap a man only to discover that his darkest secret is far worse than what they thought.
    Screening with: Bloodsuckers, dir. Rosie Brear (USA, 10min)

    TRAUMA, OR MONSTERS ALL
    New York Premiere
    USA | 2026 | 118 Min. | Dir. Larry Fessenden
    Larry Fessenden’s down-and-dirty, blue-collar universe of Universal-Monster-inspired films (HABIT, DEPRAVED, BLACK OUT) comes to its masterful conclusion in this clash of nightmarish titans set in a small town harboring its own dark past.

    TRICK ’R TREAT (35mm) w/ SEASON’S GREETINGS
    USA | 2007 | 86 Min. | Dir. Michael Dougherty
    It’s the ultimate Halloween season event with everyone’s favorite little pumpkin-headed demon, Sam: a special 35mm screening of Michael Dougherty’s classic Samhain-minded omnibus gem TRICK ’R TREAT (2007), preceded by the filmmaker’s handmade animated short that inspired it, SEASON’S GREETINGS (1996), and capped off by a conversation with Dougherty to discuss it all.

    WE’RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR
    USA | 2021 | 86 Min. | Dir. Jane Schoenbrun
    A teen loses her sense of reality as she is drawn into a popular online role-playing game.

    Secret Screening
    ??? | 2026 | > 100 Min. | Dir. ???
    Get your best guesses ready, scary movie lovers — Brooklyn Horror is excited to present a mystery film that, trust us, you won’t want to miss! And, sorry, we won’t give any easy-to-solve hints for all of you proud cinema sleuths out there!

    Okay, fine, we’ll give you a little something: Our “Secret Screening” film will be a must-see new gem that’ll make NYC’s horror fans kick themselves for missing if they aren’t in the building for it at Nitehawk. Sorry, that’s all you’re going to get. Now let the speculation begin!

    Short Films

    NIGHTMARE FUEL
    These frightening folktales, body horrors, and monsters in the machine will haunt your dreams and make sure you never sleep again!
    Bagman, dir. Connor Gaston, Vaughn Gaston (Canada); Stuck, dir. Jan van Gorkum (Netherlands); Wax, dir. Alexandre Forgues, (Canada); Breeder, dir. Sapphire Sandalo (USA); YAOGUAI, dir. Mimi Lee (USA); Don’t Go, dir. Talon Darren Winsnes, (Norway); Tsume Kill: The Clapper Claw, dir. Shinsuke Fujioka (Japan); Ceiling King, dir. Mats Udd (Sweden).

    HEAD TRIP
    Open your mind to genre-bending terror and find the fear in everyday things like your sewing projects, mancaves, and headphones. Embrace the bizarre.
    Man Eating Pussy, dir. Emily Lawson (Canada); Summer Project, dir. Yuki Hara (Japan); Headphones, dir. Steven Arriagada (Australia); Rusalka, dir. Mykita Bulgakov, Vlad Fishez, Oleg Batrakov (Ukraine); Prosthetika, dir. Brandon Chi-Wei Chen (USA); Needle, Sofie Somoroff (USA); Mancave dir. Fredrik S. Hana (Norway)

    CULTURE SHOCK
    Our latest and permanent program section strives to uplift Black filmmakers and aims to be a launchpad for new excellence in genre cinema. Join us in celebrating Black stories with our very first Culture Shock: Black Horror shorts block.
    The Inheritance, dir. Destinee Stewart (USA); Night Feeds, dir. Rana Roy (USA); Angels Pull Your Hair, dir. Gabby Beans (USA); Dread, dir. Loren Loubser, Gabe Gabriel (South Africa, UK); The Keeper, dir Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes (USA); Grampa, dir Justice Smith (USA)

    SLAYED
    Presented by MUBI
    Brooklyn horror explores the gamut of queer experiences in this shorts block, from messy lesbian relationships to taboo sexual experiences.
    By Yourself, dir. Elaine Frost (USA); Crash Season, dir. Audrey Rosenberg (USA); Four Itchy Boys, dir. Andrew Hebert (USA); Internet Boy, dir. Joseph Demaria (USA); Embrace, dir. Matthew Rush (USA); Tooth, dir. Max Wren (USA); Mine, dir. Jaclyn Moore (USA); Scissors, dir. Hannah Alline (USA)

    LAUGH NOW, DIE LATER
    Horror and comedy are sisters — both build up tension for a satisfying relief. Afterall, isn’t death the final punch line?
    Knitting Club, dir. Diogo Abrantes, João Rito (Portugal); Baby Fever, dir. Katrina Vergara (USA); Udders!, dir. Michael Spencer (USA); CHÄIR, dir Chris McInroy (USA); A Stable Marriage, dir. Josephine Decker (USA); Matches, dir. Jake Delaney (USA); Open Mic, dir. Jano Pita (Spain); Vape Glow, dir. Steven Schloss (USA); Gloss, dir. Leah Shore (USA); House Cat, dir. Kyle Spleiss (USA)

    DEATH GRIP
    These shorts will grab a hold of you, won’t let go, and love to watch you squirm. Enjoy slow-burn horror and explore the dark recesses that hide in quiet moments.
    Bruised Sky, dir. Gary James Kent (UK); Down the Length, dir. Milo Ed (UK); Primus the Robot, dir. Max Delagrave (France); Devourer, dir. Nirvana Nagi; Living Grounds, dir. Émile Lavoie (Canada)

    HOME INVASION 1
    Hometown heroes and fresh faces alike showcase their newest works. Enjoy the work of our locals and let their creativity inspire you!
    The Crying Man, dir. Emily Bennett; Richard Goes On a Date, dir. Johnny Frohman; Imprint, dir. Ran Jing; PRIME, dir. Meagan Coyle; Viewfinder, dir. Clay von Carlowitz; Packages, dir. Nick Barat; Crib Club, dir. Jordan Freeman Klaja; Walter Wuz Here, dir. Ben Duff

    HOME INVASION 2
    The category so nice, we made it twice. Our community is bursting at the seams with talented creatives, we can’t fit everything into one block.
    Echelon, dir. Sebastian DiNatale; Book U Can Ask ???s, dir. Casimir Nozkowski; No Free Brains, dir. Ciara Sergi; Behind This Locked Door, dir. Matthew Brennan; Carousel, dir. Christopher Kosakowski; Hand, dir. Jennifer Winterbotham; The Fool, dir. Adjahni Dèsirè; In My Blood, dir. Alex Bendo

    Special events

    Final Exam Horror Trivia
    Presented by Dark Sky Films
    Do you think you know more about horror films than the rest of Gotham? Then it’s time to prove it via five blistering rounds of expert level creepy trivia with hosts Ted Geoghegan (director of We Are Still Here and Shudder’s Brooklyn 45) and journalist Michael Gingold (of Fangoria and Rue Morgue fame)! Meet new friends, win amazing prizes, and learn more about horror cinema exclusively at Final Exam!

    Certified Forgotten Podcast
    Certified Forgotten is a 60-minute bi-weekly horror movie podcast with a focus on underseen films. Hosts Matt Donato and Matt Monagle speak with creators, filmmakers, and critics about their lifelong relationships to the horror genre. Each episode also highlights another unique genre title with ten-or-fewer reviews on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes that’s picked by the guest, letting them champion each episode’s title to their heart’s content.

    The Leviathan Award

    Presented by Arrow Video, Brooklyn Horror’s first and only tribute award was created in 2023 to honor the luminaries of horror and acknowledge their monstrous contributions to the genre. The 2026 Leviathan Award goes to the incomparable and prolific filmmaking family, the Adams Family. Since their breakout film in 2019, THE DEEPER YOU DIG, the Adams Family have conquered the indie horror world through unbridled creativity and an ever apparent adoration for all things bloody, goopy and monstrous. Never playing the same tune twice, these literal rockstars have sharpened their family’s craft over the past 13 years while displaying a deep reverence for the classic horror canon and lending their incredible talents on other filmmaker’s projects. Toby, John, Zelda, Lulu and the greater extended Adams Family have not only carved out a place of their own but have paved a new roadmap for future filmmakers to follow their dreams — one of passion, ingenuity and community. With their Lovecraftian apocalyptic creature feature THE GLORIOUS DEAD now hitting screens, sky’s the limit and the future is bright with these modern day folk heroes leading the cinematic charge.

    See this year’s Brooklyn Horror Film Festival poster below.

  • FocusFest Immersive Fan Event Sets Screenings of ‘Sense and Sensibility,’ ‘Elsinore’ (EXCLUSIVE)

    FocusFest Immersive Fan Event Sets Screenings of ‘Sense and Sensibility,’ ‘Elsinore’ (EXCLUSIVE)

    After the success of the inaugural immersive event last year, FocusFest returns to the Universal Studios Lot on Oct. 10. for a day full of screenings, special guests and immersive fan experiences.

    Television host Justin Sylvester will host. The event will spotlight Focus Features films, old and new, along with themed food and beverage offerings, exclusive merchandise and interactive activations. Tickets are available at the Focus Features website and Focus Insiders will receive exclusive early access to purchase tickets.

    Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles are set to attend an early advance screening of Georgia Oakley’s new take on Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility.” In the film, the women play sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood navigating love, heartbreak and financial hardships in 19th-century England.

    For classic romance lovers, Joe Wright’s take on Austin’s “Pride and Prejudice” and Autumn de Wilde’s “Emma” will also be shown.

    Focust Fest 2026

    Focus Features

    Alexander Payne’s 2023 film “The Holdovers” will be screened along with an early advance screening of “Elsinore” from Simon Stone, starring Andrew Scott. “Elsinore” tells the story of the actor Ian Charleson (Scott) who faced incredible odds while preparing to give the performance of his life in Hamlet at the National Theatre in London.

    Thrill seekers can settle in for Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu” and Curry Barker’s “Obsession,” which was screened at last year’s FocusFest and has become Focus Features’ highest-grossing film of all time.

    Focus’s 2026 slate includes “Obsession,” Eggers’ “Werwulf,” “The Uprising” from Paul Greengrass, “Elsinore” and “Sense and Sensibility.”

    Focus Features is a subsidiary of NBCUniversal.

  • JustWatch Group to Launch AVOD Streaming Service This October

    Streaming guide JustWatch Group will debut its Advertising-Based Video on Demand (AVOD) streaming service, JustWatch TV, this October.

    “Every day, millions of people come to JustWatch searching for simpler ways to watch and discover hundreds of thousands of movies and TV shows,” said David Croyé, the founder and CEO of the JustWatch Group. “For over a decade, our mission has been to connect fans with their favorite films and shows, particularly the hard-to-find and previously unavailable titles. With the launch of JustWatch TV, we aim to make content discovery, access and engagement even easier.”

    JustWatch TV can be accessed directly through the JustWatch app and website, becoming available to all existing JustWatch users in October. The streaming service will also feature rental and ad-free subscription options, and, with its unique model, will encourage viewers to watch titles both directly on the streaming platform or on their preferred streaming services. 

    “JustWatch TV is designed to meet that demand head-on, offering a straightforward solution at a time of fragmentation,” said Quentin Carbonell, the senior vice president of global content acquisitions and strategy at JustWatch. “We are curating film and TV hits and hard-to-find gems that you can watch for free or rent on JustWatch, or easily rediscover them on your favorite services. This way, JustWatch TV aims to support the whole industry, from filmmakers to distributors to streaming platforms across the world.”

    Serving as the operator of the world’s largest streaming guide, JustWatch Group is partnering with Paramount, New Regency, Fremantle, Bleecker Street, Vortex Media and additional companies for the launch of JustWatch TV. The streaming guide announced the news at the Toronto International Film Festival’s new content marketplace, TIFF: The Market.

    JustWatch TV will be available across the U.S., Canada and in select European countries. 

  • ‘Reacher’ Spinoff ‘Neagley’ Shows the Franchise Doesn’t Work Without Reacher: TV Review

    ‘Reacher’ Spinoff ‘Neagley’ Shows the Franchise Doesn’t Work Without Reacher: TV Review

    This may be the most obvious observation of all time, but it must be said: “Reacher” works because of Reacher. The hit Amazon Prime Video series, based on the novels by Lee Child and currently wrapping up its fourth season, is a vessel for star Alan Ritchson and his remarkable physique, which his drifter character puts to use by clobbering numerous bad guys across the United States in a variety of inventive ways. (Before Ritchson, the eponymous action hero was played in two movies by Tom Cruise, who may lack his successor’s bulk but made up for it in star power.) There’s a difference between formulaic pulp that’s disposable and the kind that’s a comforting delight, and on “Reacher,” that difference is Ritchson.

    All this to say is that Frances Neagley (Maria Sten, also of “Reacher”) is no Jack Reacher, and therefore the new spinoff “Neagley” is nowhere near as fun to watch as its flagship show. The most enjoyable scenes by far in the eight-episode season are the first few, when Reacher stops by to pass the baton to his ex-military comrade, now a private investigator in Chicago. Reacher helps Neagley foil a kidnapping attempt; then the two attend a Cubs game for some bestie bonding where Reacher’s mass and Neagley’s glower makes them stick out like sore thumbs. Cute!

    But then Reacher splits off for his next adventure and Neagley is left to shoulder an entire show on her own. Co-created by Nick Santora and Nicholas Wootton, “Neagley” begins with the heroine’s childhood friend Tommy Crane (Jhaleil Swaby) stripping naked and walking calmly in front of an L train. The mystery his death introduces proves flat and uninteresting, with none of the buzzy elements stuffed haphazardly into the plot — cults! Big Pharma! maimed penises! — executed with enough verve to inject any life into the proceedings. And while Sten performs capably in the (sporadic, perfunctory) action scenes, her taciturn protagonist declaring that “I don’t have trauma” can’t reverse psychology the viewer into genuine curiosity.

    That’s because Neagley is a collection of hard-surface, soft-heart tropes that never achieve independent momentum. Some shortcuts to emotional weight even feel counterproductive: in addition to Tommy, Neagley gets both an ailing father — an ex-cop who showed her the ropes — and a couple of mentees as loved ones with built-in stakes. But it’s hard to watch these thinly sketched relationships and not think of “Reacher,” which partly works because its hero is so free of roots or baggage. One of that show’s insights is that such exposition can get in the way of pure, brainless entertainment; it’s odd to watch a spinoff discard such inherited wisdom.

    Other details simply fail to inspire much intrigue. Neagley doesn’t like to be touched, a quirk that doesn’t become any more effective a hook for how often characters use the condition’s medical name (haphephobia — the more you know!) when discussing it. “Neagley” tries to pad out the investigation into Tommy’s death with a look at Neagley’s own past, but neither her backstory nor that of her reluctant partner Hudson (Greyston Holt), a Chicago PD detective attempting to distance himself from his criminal family, make much of an impact beyond filling space.

    Even Echo Canyon, the shady communal farm where Tommy spent his final days, is oddly banal for a messianic cult. “Neagley” sometimes flirts with comedy in the form of leader Lawrence Cole (Damon Herriman), a dime-store Manson who forces his followers to listen to his bad rock covers and unironically quotes Depeche Mode in declaring himself a “personal Jesus.” (Lawrence’s financial backer Pierce, played by Matthew Del Negro, gets his own chance to gnash his teeth when he informs a victim that “watching you die, I’m hard as a rock.”) But besides these flashes of fun, the show proves reluctant to lean into either camp or distinctive detail. Lawrence’s chief deputy Judith (Rebecca Liddiard) has awfully composed hair and makeup for a hippie who’s left polite society; street kid Keno (Jasper Jones), who Neagley recruits to infiltrate the farm, has an immaculate six-pack despite not having access to a hot shower, let alone a gym. The viewer remains acutely aware they’re watching professional actors impersonate vague stereotypes of cult members rather than an immersive take on the genre.

    In light of this ersatz feel, the constant invocations of Neagley’s military record for authenticity ring hollow. (When she reminds a scene partner that “I’ve been in combat” halfway through the season, it’s hard to resist shouting back: “We know!”) The rough outline of what happened to Tommy is apparent within a few episodes, and without that source of suspense, “Neagley” quickly loses steam. With “Reacher,” the show’s namesake has become a reason to watch in and of himself. That’s simply not the case here.

    All eight episodes of “Neagley” will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on Sept. 16.

  • Spotify Now Lets Parents Block Kids’ Music From Polluting Their Recommendations

    Spotify Now Lets Parents Block Kids’ Music From Polluting Their Recommendations

    Does Spotify think you absolutely love “Baby Shark” because your kids have listened to it hundreds of times — and as a result recommends similar stuff? If you’ve ever encountered this conundrum, here’s good news: Spotify is finally letting parents keep nursery rhymes, Disney princess songs and other kiddie tunes out of their own music recommendations.

    Starting Sept. 15, Spotify is giving parents the ability to exclude kids and family music from their recommendations, including the annual Wrapped marketing campaign. In promoting the new feature, the company is telling subscribers to “Keep your recommendations yours.”

    “Parents love using Spotify to play music for their families. But parents don’t always share the same taste as their young children,” the company noted (rather obviously) in announcing the feature.

    The new ability to toggle off kids and family music from influencing a Spotify user’s taste profile is rolling out globally on mobile to Free and Premium users. When you turn the setting off, “you can still search for, listen to, and build playlists of kids and family music — but those streams won’t affect what Spotify suggests for you,” per Spotify. “That means experiences like Discover Weekly, Daily Mix, and Wrapped more accurately reflect your taste.” The feature also applies retroactively, so kids’ music you’ve already listened to won’t be factored into your Wrapped top song or artist, for example.

    Kids and family music on Spotify includes the following, according to the company: animated and live-action film soundtracks; theme songs and music from family TV shows; music from family entertainment brands and characters; family-friendly covers of popular songs; nursery rhymes and lullabies; sing-along, educational and activity music; and novelty and parody tracks for families.

    The new feature is “the latest step in our ongoing efforts to give parents and guardians more control over how they and their kids listen,” according to Spotify.

    The company’s existing tools provide the ability to exclude specific tracks or playlists from your taste profile. Meanwhile, in 2024, Spotify first launched managed accounts, designed to let parents with kids 13 and under their own space to discover music while maintaining control over their listening environment. In addition, the company offers the stand-alone Spotify Kids app, available to Spotify Premium Family plan subscribers, which provides a walled-off experience for young children.

    Here’s how to toggle off kids and family music from your Spotify profile:

    • Navigate to “Settings and privacy” by tapping your profile picture in the top left corner of the app.
    • Select “Content and display.”
    • Switch off the toggle next to “Include kids and family music in taste profile.” (It may take up to 48 hours for the change to be reflected in personalized recommendations.)

    And here’s an image from Spotify’s publicity campaign about the new feature:

  • Hawai’i Film Festival to Open With ‘The Navigator,’ Names ‘Drifter’ as Centerpiece (EXCLUSIVE)

    Hawai’i Film Festival to Open With ‘The Navigator,’ Names ‘Drifter’ as Centerpiece (EXCLUSIVE)

    The Hawai’i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani will open its 46th edition, HIFF46, with the world premiere of “The Navigator,” directed by Jordan Manley, at the historic Hawai’i Theatre Center.

    “The Navigator” is a made in Hawai’i documentary centered on Nainoa Thompson, who nearly half a century ago became the first Native Hawaiian in 600 years to sail from Hawai’i to Tahiti using no modern instruments. The documentary follows him on a 2,400-mile return voyage accompanied by a new generation of trainee wayfinders, drawing on wisdom instilled by master navigator Mau Piailug. The screening also marks HIFF’s first opening night held at the Hawai’i Theatre Center since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

    “It is a tremendous honor for HIFF to open our 46th Festival with the world premiere of ‘The Navigator,’ a film that could not be more deeply connected to Hawai’i and to who we are as a festival,” said Jean H. Lee, HIFF executive director. Lee added that Nainoa Thompson’s legacy “represents the reclamation and perpetuation of ancestral knowledge, a living connection across Oceania, and the responsibility to pass that knowledge to the next generation.”

    HIFF46’s centerpiece presentation is the Hawai’i premiere of “Drifter,” the feature directorial debut of actor and filmmaker Sung Kang, who also wrote, produced and stars in the film. Set against the drifting subculture, the story centers on a lone racetrack janitor carrying old wounds, who gets one shot at redemption behind the wheel if he can learn to trust those around him.

    The festival features 84 films in total, including 34 world premieres, six North American Premieres, 12 U.S. premieres and three international premieres, alongside selections from Cannes, Sundance, Berlin and Busan. The program also includes 86 short films; HIFF is the only Academy Award-qualifying film festival in the state of Hawai’i for short films.

    The festival’s 24 individual premiere titles include world premieres “Beyond the Smiles: Yani Tseng,” “Making the Line,” “Niu Forever,” “Orphan Myth,” “Sukiyaki” and “Protecting Kahoʻolawe: 50 Years of Aloha ʻĀina”; North American premieres “The House on the Moon,” “The Mage,” “Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng” and “Will You Still Be My Friend?”; U.S. premieres “Big Little Things,” “Chura Vita,” “Fruit Gathering,” “Lomu,” “Los Vampires,” “Satoko Always,” “Sgt. Haane,” “Sukundimi Walks Before Me,” “We Are Born Good” and “You Are the Film”; and international premieres “2 Valid IDs,” “Guided by Horses” and “Shadow Work.”

    The lineup also brings in festival selections from Cannes, Sundance, Berlin and Busan, including “Josephine,” “Bedford Park,” “Take Me Home,” “All of a Sudden,” “Coward,” “Fatherland,” “La Bola Negra,” “Minotaur,” “The Station,” “9 Temples to Heaven” and “We Are Aliens,” alongside a studio slate featuring Netflix’s “Ink,” “14th” and “Possible Love”; A24’s “Club Kid” and “The Debut”; IFC Films’ “Tangles” and “Mouse”; Searchlight Pictures’ “Behemoth!” and “Wild Horse Nine”; Amazon MGM Studios’ “I Play Rocky”; and Neon’s “Once Upon a Time in Harlem” and “Clarissa.”

    Alongside its film program, HIFF46 presents the second annual HIFILM industry conference, featuring conversations with filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton, “Romanticals” creator Jonah Feingold, producer Walter Hamada, Desert Eclipse CEO Jason Chen, actors Holt McCallany, Henry Ian Cusick, Alex Tarrant and Amy Hill, and writer-producer Dana Ledoux Miller, among others.

    “At its core, HIFF has always been about where we are,” said Anderson Le, HIFF artistic director. Le noted that the festival can present “an awards contender from Cannes or Sundance one night, a world premiere from Hawai’i the next, and then a new filmmaker from Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Aotearoa or across Oceania – and they all belong in the same conversation.”

    The festival runs Oct. 21-Nov. 5 on Oahu and continues through Nov. 15 on Maui, Molokai, Lanai and the Big Island of Hawai’i.