Oscar-Shortlisted Short Documentary Perfectly a Strangeness Sets NYC Screenings

Posted on January 4, 2026 by admin

Alison McAlpine’s short documentary Perfectly a Strangeness continues its awards-season run with two upcoming New York City screenings in January, following its inclusion on the Academy Awards’ 2026 shortlist for Best Documentary Short.

The 15-minute Canadian film, which premiered in Official Competition at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, unfolds in a desert landscape where three donkeys encounter an abandoned astronomical observatory. Blending documentary with elements of myth, science fiction, and philosophical inquiry, the film explores perception, curiosity, and humanity’s relationship to the cosmos through a strikingly sensory approach.

Perfectly a Strangeness has earned significant critical praise, with Deadline calling it “one of the most cinematic documentaries of the year,” and The Film Verdict describing it as “a heady blend of myth, science fiction, documentary, comedy and philosophical exploration.” The film has also screened at TIFF, IDFA, and more than 70 international festivals.

The New York screenings include a January 7 showing at Quad Cinema, followed by a Q&A with critic Jordan Hoffman, and a January 10 screening at DCTV with a post-screening conversation led by filmmaker Penny Lane.

McAlpine, whose previous work includes the acclaimed feature documentary CIELO, is a Guggenheim Fellow and is currently developing her first narrative feature alongside a new hybrid documentary project.

Peaky Blinders Returns With Feature Film The Immortal Man, Set for March Release

Posted on January 2, 2026 by admin

Peaky Blinders is officially returning with a new feature film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, continuing the story of Tommy Shelby four years after the series concluded on Netflix. The film is written by series creator Steven Knight and directed by Tom Harper, who previously helmed episodes of the original series.

Set in 1940 against the backdrop of World War II, The Immortal Man follows Tommy Shelby, played once again by Cillian Murphy, as he is drawn out of self-imposed exile to confront what may be his most consequential reckoning yet. According to the film’s synopsis, the future of both the Shelby family and the country hangs in the balance as Tommy is forced to confront his past, his legacy, and the cost of survival in a world at war.

Murphy, who recently won an Academy Award for Oppenheimer, said returning to the role felt unfinished. “It seems like Tommy Shelby wasn’t finished with me,” he noted in a statement released alongside the teaser. Steven Knight has described the film as an “explosive chapter” in the Peaky Blinders saga, positioning it as a wartime continuation rather than a quiet epilogue.

The cast includes returning and new faces, with Rebecca Ferguson, Barry Keoghan, Tim Roth, Sophie Rundle, Stephen Graham, and others joining Murphy. The film is produced in association with BBC Film and continues Netflix’s strategy of extending marquee series through standalone features.

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man will debut in select theaters on March 6, 2026, before arriving on Netflix on March 20, 2026.

Tron: Ares Sets Disney+ Streaming Debut

Posted on December 30, 2025 by admin

Tron: Ares, the latest installment in Disney’s long-running sci-fi franchise, will make its streaming debut on Disney+ on January 7, bringing the Tron universe back to screens more than a decade after Tron: Legacy.

Directed by Joachim Rønning, the film expands the series’ exploration of the digital “Grid,” centering on Ares, a highly advanced program sent from the virtual world into the real one. The storyline frames the mission as humanity’s first direct encounter with artificial intelligence beings, positioning the film within ongoing cultural conversations about AI and technology.

Tron: Ares will be available in IMAX Enhanced on Disney+, preserving the expanded aspect ratio and sound mix originally designed for theatrical exhibition. The film features a new original score by Nine Inch Nails, continuing the franchise’s emphasis on electronic music as a defining element of its atmosphere.

The release also coincides with renewed availability of Tron (1982) and Tron: Legacy (2010) on the platform, allowing viewers to revisit the series’ evolution ahead of the new chapter.

Feeld’s 2025 Report Shows How Digital Platforms Are Reshaping Modern Intimacy

Posted on December 30, 2025 by admin

Feeld, the dating app focused on nontraditional relationships and sexual exploration, has released its annual RAW 2025 report, offering a data-driven snapshot of how desire, identity, and connection are shifting across cities and generations.

Drawing on user behavior from around the world, the report points to a continued loosening of rigid sexual labels, with heteroflexible emerging as the fastest-growing sexuality on the platform, up nearly 200 percent year over year. The data suggests that users are increasingly comfortable occupying gray areas between established identities rather than committing to fixed definitions.

The report also highlights changing attitudes toward intimacy and masculinity, including a sharp rise in interest among cisgender men in practices once considered niche or taboo. According to Feeld’s data, cities such as Miami, Seattle, and Berlin are among those where alternative relationship structures and evolving power dynamics are most visible.

Geography plays a central role in the findings. Urban centers like Berlin and Portland consistently rank high for open relationships and sexual experimentation, while cities in Brazil top the list for more traditional or “vanilla” preferences. The contrast underscores how local culture, infrastructure, and social norms continue to shape how people explore intimacy, even on global digital platforms.

Explore this and more global insights in the full Feeld Raw 2025 report available. here.

HBO Max Drops Trailer for Season Two of Hospital Drama The Pitt

Posted on December 29, 2025 by admin

HBO Max has released the official trailer and key art for season two of The Pitt, the Emmy-winning hospital drama starring Noah Wyle, ahead of its January 8 premiere.

Created by R. Scott Gemmill and produced by John Wells Productions, the series returns with a 15-episode second season that will roll out weekly through April 16. Set in a modern Pittsburgh hospital, The Pitt continues its grounded portrayal of frontline healthcare workers navigating systemic strain, moral dilemmas, and high-stakes emergencies.

The show arrives for its sophomore run after a strong awards showing for its debut season, which earned 13 Emmy nominations and five wins, including Outstanding Drama Series and acting honors for Wyle and Katherine LaNasa. The success positioned The Pitt as one of HBO Max’s breakout dramas of 2025, particularly resonating with audiences drawn to realistic medical storytelling in the post-pandemic era.

Season two also expands accessibility efforts, with episodes streaming simultaneously in American Sign Language, and continues its companion podcast offering that blends episode discussion with real-world medical context.

Brigitte Bardot, Iconic French Film Star and Cultural Figure, Dies at 91

Posted on December 28, 2025 by admin

Brigitte Bardot, the French actor, singer, and international cultural icon who rose to global fame in the 1950s before leaving cinema to become a prominent animal rights activist, has died at the age of 91. Her death was announced by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, which did not disclose a cause.

Bardot became an international sensation with her breakthrough role in Roger Vadim’s And God Created Woman (1956), a film that reshaped attitudes toward sexuality in postwar cinema and established her as one of France’s most recognizable celebrities. Over the following two decades, she starred in more than 40 films, including The Truth, Contempt, and Viva Maria!, working with directors such as Jean-Luc Godard, Louis Malle, and Henri-Georges Clouzot.

She retired from acting in 1973 at age 39 and devoted her life to animal welfare, founding the Brigitte Bardot Foundation in 1986. In later years, Bardot remained a polarizing public figure due to her outspoken far-right political views and repeated convictions in France for inciting racial hatred.

French President Emmanuel Macron called Bardot “a legend of the century,” noting her lasting impact on French culture. She is survived by her son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier.

Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton Face a Deadly Wilderness Hunt in Netflix Thriller Apex

Posted on December 27, 2025 by admin

Netflix has released the first teaser for Apex, a survival thriller directed by Baltasar Kormákur (Everest, Adrift), set in the Australian wilderness. The film stars Charlize Theron as a grieving woman whose search for solitude turns into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a serial killer, played by Taron Egerton.

The teaser emphasizes isolation, psychological tension, and the unforgiving natural environment, positioning the landscape as a central force in the story. Brief footage suggests a stripped-down narrative focused on endurance, pursuit, and survival rather than spectacle.

Shot on location in New South Wales, Apex also stars Eric Bana and was filmed using real outdoor locations, including remote rivers and mountain terrain. The film continues Kormákur’s interest in extreme environments and human vulnerability, a recurring theme in his previous work.

Apex premieres globally on Netflix on April 24, 2026.

Award-Winning Documentary ‘Natchez’ Opens at Film Forum

Posted on December 26, 2025 by admin

Suzannah Herbert’s documentary Natchez will open its U.S. theatrical run at Film Forum on January 30, following its award-winning debut on the festival circuit. The film is executive produced by Sam Pollard.

Set in Natchez, Mississippi, the documentary examines a town long known for its antebellum tourism as it confronts growing challenges to its romanticized portrayal of the Old South. Through interviews with plantation owners, tour guides, activists, and local officials, Natchez explores conflicting narratives about history, memory, and the legacy of slavery.

Natches premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Festival, where it won Best Documentary, along with special jury awards for cinematography and editing. The film has since earned additional honors, including audience and documentary prizes at multiple festivals, and was named one of the National Board of Review’s Top 5 Documentaries of the Year.

Oni Press Reveals First Look at EC Comics Anthology Tortured Hearts

Posted on December 24, 2025 by admin

Oni Press has unveiled a first look at Tortured Hearts #1, a new EC Comics anthology blending horror and dark romance, set to hit comic shops on February 11.

The oversized one-shot revives EC’s tradition of macabre storytelling through tales centered on obsession, devotion, and the darker side of love. Among the featured stories is “A Pocket Full of Nails,” written by Ann Nocenti with art by Dan McDaid and colors by Michelle Madsen, which draws inspiration from real-life stalking cases involving comic creators.

Tortured Hearts #1 includes contributions from a range of writers and artists, including Jordie Bellaire, Tini Howard, Blake Howard, Amy Roy, Sebastián Cabrol, Fabiana Mascolo, and Arjuna Susini. The issue also features a newly restored classic story from the EC archives by William M. Gaines, Al Feldstein, and Reed Crandall.

Timed for Valentine’s week, the anthology marks EC Comics’ latest collaboration with Oni Press and continues the publisher’s expansion of classic EC horror themes for modern readers.

‘Suspicious Minds’ Season One Concludes With AI-Focused Finale

Posted on December 23, 2025 by admin

By Armando

The first season of Suspicious Minds, the documentary podcast and video series examining the psychological impact of artificial intelligence, has concluded with its finale episode, “Why Is AI Making Us Crazy?”

Created and directed by filmmaker Sean King O’Grady, the season explores how emerging technologies can influence belief systems and mental health, particularly as AI tools become increasingly personalized, emotionally responsive, and difficult for some users to distinguish from human authority.

The finale revisits ideas from Suspicious Minds: How Culture Shapes Madness, the book by psychiatrist Dr. Joel Gold and philosopher Ian Gold, focusing on how long-standing psychological mechanisms such as pattern-seeking and suspicion can be intensified in contemporary digital environments. Rather than framing AI as a singular cause, the episode situates it within a broader cultural context that can amplify existing vulnerabilities.

Produced by Wondermind and Agoric Media, Suspicious Minds premiered in October 2025 and has ranked among the year’s top podcasts, combining expert analysis with firsthand accounts to examine how technology can shape, and in some cases destabilize, individual perceptions of reality.

The series is now available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other major platforms.