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Who needs Netflix and Prime? BBC iPlayer has a terrific collection of films to watch – here’s our updated list of what to watch right now (and when they’re leaving the service).

Whilst all eyes tend to be on streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime when it comes to movie updates, on the quiet the BBC iPlayer service continues to play host to a limited, diverse selection of films. What’s more, a good number of them you can download to your tablet to watch on the move.

So, without further ado, welcome to the weekly updated iPlayer film list. This list will be updated every week with the test available data from the BBC, in order of how long you have left to watch (so you can prioritise your viewing pleasure)

New! – denotes all new movies this week!

Brand-new This Week: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,...

Jeopardy! producers are sharing why letting Mayim Bialik go from the hit game show was an easy choice. She came on board alongside former champion, Ken Jennings to take over the reins from Alex Trebek. Yet, she was eventually no longer needed but why was it a no-brainer? Keep reading for more details.

Jeopardy! Why Firing Mayim Bialik Was An Easy Choice

When Alex Trebek was diagnosed with cancer in 2019, he tried his very best to stick with Jeopardy! He did not want anyone to think he was sick so he stayed until his passing in 2020. That was when the hunt was on for a new host who could not fill his shoes but honor him and do him justice. Many people guest-hosted in the hopes they would get the coveted position but in the end, it came down to two people. Now, Mike Richards, the show’s former EP...

It feels like Chicago Med is in its own Rennaisance.

And Chicago Med Season 10 Episode 8 certainly left us on the edge of our seats with a finale that saw beloved Goodwin at the mercy of a disgruntled spouse of a patient.

Her life hangs in the balance, but could it potentially hang in the hands of the man she demoted?

(George Burns Jr/NBC)

In an exciting One Chicago press junket, TV Fanatic had the privilege of catching up with the legendary Steven Weber about Dr. Archer’s shocking decision to resign, and those final moments of Goodwin’s stabbing.

Incredibly charismatic and candid, Weber breaks down Archer’s evolution as a character, teases what the future may hold for him in the revolving door Dick Wolf Universe, and gets into the epic “Avengers: Endgame” style One Chicago crossover.

(NBC/James Washington)

Weber has his finger on the pulse regarding...

Actress Mayim Bialik played the role of Amy Farrah Fowler, the equally straight-shooting girlfriend of Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory. The actress reportedly began her career as a child actor and even headlined the sitcom Blossoms before she took a break to focus on her education.

While she played a genius neuroscientist in the sitcom, her real life was not far from that as she had already received a PhD in neuroscience before she joined the show. The actress mentioned that her academic career actually helped her land the role as the writers would ask for suggestions from her to see if they had got the information right.

Mayim Bialik was a child star before she took a break from acting to focus on education Mayim Bialik in Blossoms | Credits: NBC

Mayim Bialik is best known for her role as Amy Farrah Fowler in The Big Bang Theory...

Sometimes the alternative music categories at the Grammys are easy to predict. Most people knew Fiona Apple’s massively lauded “Fetch The Bolt Cutters” was winning Best Alternative Album in 2021, for instance. However, this year the field is different, with a few returning favorites who have enough disadvantages to make the race quite murky. Newer acts have their fair share of issues too.

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Three major players would seem to be going head-to-head (to-head) for album honors. Vampire Weekend’s “Only God Was Above Us” has become arguably their most acclaimed album, scoring 88 on Metacritic. The record has also done well commercially, better than the other two academy darlings in the category, peaking at number-27 on the Billboard 200. Additionally, the success of their single “Capricorn” (a contender for Best Alternative Performance), which peaked at number-four on the adult alternative chart, could boost the band’s chances.

Idina Menzel's most underrated role is in the 2007 film Enchanted. Surprisingly, this is one of the very few screen roles where Menzel doesn't sing. Menzel is most famous for her musical roles as Maureen in Rent and Elsa in Frozen, as well as her groundbreaking Broadway career. Meanwhile, in Enchanted, Menzel plays Robert's (Patrick Dempsey) girlfriend, Nancy Tremaine. However, when Giselle (Amy Adams) ends up with Robert, Nancy leaves with Prince Edward (James Marsden) and lives happily ever after in Andalasia.

Although she doesn't sing in Enchanted, Menzel returned for the film's sequel, joining Disenchanted's cast. As well as getting the chance to sing in this installment, Menzel is reunited with most of the original cast from the first installment and expands upon her role as Nancy, now the queen of Andalasia. Nancy's role in the sequel is a lot bigger, with more effect on the plot's outcome in Disenchanted's ending,...

Jeopardy! is known for featuring all sorts of references to pop culture in its categories. However, fans noted that a recent clue involved one of the show’s former hosts, Mayim Bialik. Fans also shared their surprise online at seeing Bialik, or at least one of her characters, get mentioned on social media.

The Contestants Had To Guess Shows By Famous Couples

In the episode, Mark Fitzpatrick returned after winning the previous three consecutive games. He went up against Colleen Kelly and Robert Franke.

The first series of categories included TV Coupling, in which players had to guess the show from its couples. It was the $600 clue, however, which Kelly buzzed into and guessed, that ended up surprising viewers.

Mayim Bialik – YouTube

Host Ken Jennings read the clue, “Sheldon & Amy, pure genius.” Kelly gave the correct response: “What is The Big Bang Theory?” Famously, Amy was played by Mayim Bialik,...

Beabadoobee took the outdoor stage Thursday at Jimmy Kimmel Live to a rousing applause as she geared up to perform “Beaches” from her Rick-Rubin-produced third album, This Is How Tomorrow Moves.

Bea, born Beatrice Lause, played an acoustic guitar as she sang sang about finding peace in the unknown backed by an electric guitarist, bassist, and drummer whose kit seemed to have a childhood portrait of the artist pasted to it.

She took a brief break from strumming to emphasize the top of the second verse: “Find it hard to say,...

Paul Mazursky's 1986 comedy "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" is a sharp indictment of ultra-moneyed yuppie culture, which was running rampant during the Reagan administration. Culturally speaking, the mid 1980s saw a redoubled effort to enrich the already-wealthy and encourage rich people to become obsessed with conspicuous consumption. Many, many films and TV shows about Beverly Hills were released at this time, delving deep into the cockroach nest where America's wealthy classes gathered and cannibalized each other.

Prominent among these was Mazursky's film about a rich family, the Whitemans, that recently became wealthy thanks to a wire hanger manufacturing empire. The family are all empty and unhappy. Matriarch Barbara (Bette Midler) is attempting to fill her emptiness with increasingly strange renditions of New Age spirituality, while patriarch Dave (Richard Dreyfuss) is filling his own emptiness by having an affair with the family's live-in maid, Carmen (Elizabeth Peña). Their child...

On Sunday September 15 2024, Dest broadcasts Passport to the Palm Beaches!

Fun at the Fair and Friendship Season 5 Episode 5 Episode Summary

“Passport to the Palm Beaches” is set to air an exciting new episode titled “Fun at the Fair and Friendship.” In this episode, Jacqueline Journey explores the vibrant atmosphere of Palm Beach County, Florida. She dives into the local fair scene, highlighting the various attractions and experiences that make it a special event for everyone.

Viewers can expect to see Jacqueline interact with interesting people who share their stories and experiences at the fair. The episode promises to showcase the unique lifestyle offerings of the area, from delicious food to thrilling rides. Jacqueline’s engaging personality brings a warm touch to the exploration, making it a delightful watch for those interested in the charm of Palm Beach.

The episode not only focuses on the fun of the fair but also emphasizes the importance of friendship.

On Sunday September 8 2024, Dest broadcasts Passport to the Palm Beaches!

Good Times Season 5 Episode 4 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Passport to the Palm Beaches,” titled “Good Times,” is set to air on Dest. In this episode, viewers will join host Jacqueline Journey as she explores the luxurious lifestyle and vibrant culture of Palm Beach County, Florida. Known for its stunning scenery and upscale offerings, this area provides a perfect backdrop for an insider’s look at its hidden gems.

Jacqueline Journey will take viewers on a journey through Palm Beach County, showcasing a variety of luxury experiences. From fine dining to high-end shopping, the episode will highlight the unique attractions that make this destination so special. Viewers can expect to meet interesting locals who share their stories and insights about life in this beautiful region.

As Jacqueline delves into the various offerings, she will also reveal the activities that...

Welcome to our weekly rundown of the best new music — featuring big new singles, key tracks from our favorite albums, and more. This week, Beabadoobee finds bliss in Malibu, Latto keeps it old school, and J Balvin enlists Feid for a supercharged reggaeton track. Plus, new music from Finneas, Zedd and Remi Wolf, Addison Rae and Katy Perry.

Beabadoobee, “Beaches” (YouTube)

Latto, “S/O to Me” (YouTube)

J Balvin, Feid, “Doblexxó” (YouTube)

Finneas, “For Cryin’ Out Loud!” (YouTube)

Zedd feat. Remi Wolf, “Lucky” (YouTube)

Addison Rae, “Diet Pepsi” (YouTube)

Katy Perry,...

Beatrice Laus has a clear head on This Is How Tomorrow Moves. For her third record, the singer-songwriter, who records as Beabadoobee, steps outside of the whimsical world she built on 2022’s Beatopia and faces the messy reality of becoming an adult. For Laus, that means owning her faults — a rite of passage she tackles like a champ.

The London-based, Filipino-born artist basically came of age in the spotlight: In 2017, at 17, she went viral for her bubbly track “Coffee,” and signed to independent label Dirty Hit a year later. Laus...

Grammy and Tony winner, Bette Midler is sharing the shocking secret to a lasting marriage. She has been with her husband, Martin von Haselberg, for nearly forty years. So, after all of that time, which is forever in Hollywood years, what keeps their relationship alive? Keep reading for more details.

Bette Midler Shares Shocking Secret To Lasting Marriage

She is one of the most successful and timeless actresses in Hollywood. Bette Midler has been in hit films including The Rose, Beaches, Hocus Pocus, The First Wives Club, and more. Additionally, she has had a plethora of hit songs that have earned her many accolades and awards. Recently, she has noted that she would love to join Rhobh on Bravo. The cast was all for it but as to how serious she was, Bette claims that it was just a joke. However, she does maintain she likes the idea of fighting and getting paid for it.

A frequent criticism of the current MCU is the need for extensive “homework” due to its interconnected nature. To fully grasp the current project, viewers often need to watch numerous movies and shows, which can be overwhelming for casual fans.

To address this concern, the MCU has introduced the ‘Spotlight’ label. Projects designated as ‘MCU Spotlight’ are standalone and character-driven, meaning they don’t require prior knowledge of the broader cinematic universe.

‘Echo’ was released under the MCU Spotlight label, and ‘Marvel Zombies’ is another animated project confirmed to be standalone. With the release of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and its numerous cameos, many from the previous Fox X-Men franchise, fans have expressed concern that they might need to watch at least 10 movies and 2 seasons of ‘Loki’ to fully understand the film.

However, Executive Producer Wendy Jacobson assures that this is not the case. In an interview on the Official Marvel Podcast,...

One of the most common complaints when it comes to the current state of the MCU is the fact that it has too much homework. Due to the interconnected nature of the cinematic universe, you often need to watch dozens of movies and shows to understand the current project you are watching. For casual fans, this might be tiresome.

MCU decided to address this issue with the ‘Spotlight’ label. Projects marked as ‘MCU Spotlight’ are standalone and character-driver, and don’t necessarily require previous knowledge of the cinematic universe.

‘Echo’ was released under MCU Spotlight and ‘Marvel Zombies’ is one more animated project that’s confirmed to be “standalone.” Now with the release of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and due to numerous cameos teased to appear in the movie, most of them from the previous Fox X-Men franchise, fans have been worried that they’re going to need to watch at...

Bleecker Street’s new comedy “The Fabulous Four” finds Bette Midler doing what she does best: broad comedy with a touch of poignancy peeking out from just beneath the surface.

It’s a quality that characterizes many of Midler’s most memorable performances in films like “The First Wives Club,” “Down and Out in Beverly Hills,” and “That Old Feeling,” and according to Midler, it’s been part of her approach since the beginning.

“When I worked live, starting from the time I was 19, I was very much aware of the melancholy underneath certain kinds of scenes,” Midler told IndieWire in a recent interview. “There’s a musical term for it: contrapuntal. ‘Miss M’ is loud and boisterous on the outside, but there’s an undercurrent of despair because it’s very hard to be a human being.”

In “The Fabulous Four,” Midler plays a widow who surprises her friends...

The Big Bang Theory has introduced the audience to a wholly new period of television where theoretical physicists are cool and Star Trek: The Next Generation actor Wil Wheaton is a certified d–bag and our mortal enemy.

The Big Bang Theory [Credit: Warner Bros. Television]

However, it is not just the neurotic and gifted characters or the happy-go-lucky neighbor that makes the show such a timeless favorite but the memories that linger long after The Big Bang Theory first debuted on television. The legacy, the friendships, and the evolution embedded in each of the characters are what make the sitcom one of the best of our times.

The Big Bang Theory vs. Mayim Bialik – A Tragedy

For those among the audience who were not familiar with Mayim Bialik‘s 1990s rise as the teenage actress in Blossom, her hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory surely made her a household favorite.

June is busting out all over, especially on streaming. Whether it’s hiding from the heat or taking a break from school and work, Disney+ and Hulu are here to satisfying your mid-year entertainment needs.

Disney+ will premiere the first new live-action Star Wars since 2023’s middling to “The Mandalorian” Season 3 and “Ahsoka” with “The Acolyte,” starring “Squid Game” breakout Lee Jung-jae. The series is set before the events of “The Phantom Menace” with a familiar master-padawan storyline but new characters and a new era where that dynamic unfolds. The streamer will also premiere various new options for kids and family-friendly programming, as well as new episodes of “Doctor Who” starring Ncuti Gatwa.

On Hulu, FX comes in hot for the summer, along with an adaptation of Candice Carty-Williams’s “Queenie,” the brat-pack documentary “Brats,” and yes — more “Love Island.” The TV and film library continues to shift with new and expiring titles,...

Tubi, Fox’s free streaming service, has announced its list of May titles. The May 2024 slate features new Tubi Originals as well as numerous action, art house, Black cinema, comedy, documentary, drama, horror, kids and family, romance, sci-fi and fantasy, thriller, and Western titles.

As a leading ad-supported video-on-demand service, Tubi engages diverse audiences through a personalized experience and the world’s largest content library, which includes over 200,000 movies and TV episodes, a growing collection of Tubi Originals, and nearly 250 Fast channels.

You can watch the Tubi May 2024 lineup for free on Android and iOS mobile devices, Amazon Echo Show, Google Nest Hub Max, Comcast Xfinity X1, and Cox Contour.

You can also watch the service on connected television devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Vizio TVs, Sony TVs, Samsung TVs, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and on the Tubi site.

Tubi Originals

Action...

Award-winning actress and singer Bette Midler has recently expressed her desire to join the Rhobh cast. She sent out a tweet sharing why she wanted to be a part of the hit Bravo reality series. In return, Andy Cohen responded but what did he have to say? Keep reading for more details.

Bette Midler Wants To Be On Rhobh Andy Cohen Responds

Actresses and soap stars have been known to join Rhobh. Kyle Richards and her sister, Kim Richards had been known for their roles in Halloween and Escape to Witch Mountain, respectively. As time went on, soap stars Lisa Rinna and Eileen Davidson jumped aboard followed by Denise Richards. She had been known for modeling and a bevy of film and TV roles. Then, Garcelle Beauvais added her flair to Rhobh with many celebs being Bravo super fans. Now, Bette Midler has come out of the woodwork and shared...

Lisa Rinna popularized lip injections before Kylie Jenner's billion-dollar beauty business. Lisa Rinna endured difficulty in restoring her lips with scar tissue but rectified it with surgery. "Queen of big lips" Rinna started Rinna Beauty makeup, tapping into her daughters' collaboration.

Lisa Rinna is best known for being a cast member of the popular Bravo reality series The Real Housewives. After joining the ladies of Beverly Hills in Season Five, Lisa Rinna and her lips have constantly been the talk of the town!

While her explosive personality, unfiltered sense of humor, and iconic hairstyle speak for themselves, Lisa Rinna's lips are all anyone could talk about - that and her marriage to Harry Hamlin!

The star herself knows that her lips are always the center of attention, and she isn't shy about admitting that one single bit. You could say she is "owning it, baby!"

The actress has been...

Herman “Hy” Levine, a 48-year veteran of the film industry who rose through the marketing ranks at Universal and Disney, died Dec. 27 in Rockville, Md. after suffering from pancreatic cancer. He was 87.

Levine was an executive Disney from 1986 to 1998, rising to the rank of Vice President of Co-Op Advertising at the time when the studio began stepping up its movie output under CEO Michael Eisner after a particularly fallow period in the early 1980s. In his position, Levine was responsible for print and outdoor advertising on all Disney features, including those that fell under the Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures banners.

Among the films Levine helped launch were such animated megahits as “The Lion King,” “Aladdin” and “The Little Mermaid” as well as live-action titles such as “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,” “Down and Out in Beverly Hills” and “Beaches.” Levine worked closely with then film marketing chief Bob Levin as...

Herman (Hy) Levine, who had a nearly 50-year career in the film industry and worked with Lew Wasserman, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Dick Cook, and many other prominent executives, has died at 87.

Levine died Dec. 27 in Rockville, MD, following a short battle with pancreatic cancer, according to his son, Stuart Levine, who is the VP editorial and media relations at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming.

Levine was at Disney from 1986-1998 and rose to VP of co-op advertising at the time when the studio was accelerating its film output after a particularly fallow period. In his position, Levine was responsible for the print and outdoor advertising for all the Disney features, which also fell under the Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures banner.

Among the many films where Levine played a vital role in their success were The Lion King, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Down and Out in Beverly Hills and Beaches.

Bette Midler's performance as Winifred in Hocus Pocus initially concerned Disney, but she stood her ground and embraced the goofy and wacky direction she wanted to take. Midler's transformation into the extravagant and unrecognizable character was a departure from her previous roles, but it ultimately worked out and made her portrayal of Winifred iconic. Midler's camp aesthetic and energy were essential to the success of Hocus Pocus, as her portrayal of Winifred added an extra level of campiness to the already supernatural movie.

Original Hocus Pocus director Kenny Ortega recounts how Disney initially had concerns over Bette Midler’s performance in the supernatural movie. Midler portrays Winifred in Hocus Pocus, a reincarnated witch who haunts the city of Salem, Massachusetts alongside her sisters Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mary (Kathy Najimy). The Sanderson Sisters have since become Halloween movie icons and appeared together again nearly three decades after Hocus Pocus...

I got my nose in around about 4th grade. Before then, I had more of a little button nose. Adorable. But from the time I was 10, the pointy chin I had pretty much since I could crawl was joined by what I think of as a prominent, somewhat regal, nose in the style of what is called a “Roman” nose. (I even saw what looked an awful lot like my exact nose on an ancient statue the first time I went to Rome as a teenager!)

I was an outgoing child who had trouble not talking to other kids during class or flirting with boys. I loved making other kids laugh with jokes and impressions. I didn’t think of myself as unattractive, but I also knew that most boys who I liked didn’t like loud, quirky girls like me who had calluses on their hands from too much time on the monkey bars.

Your staying power with Pietro Castellitto’s genre-adjacent non-thriller Enea will depend on your appetite for well-heeled Romans blathering on tirelessly about the encroaching emptiness inside them. An overlong, windy film that purports to investigate the hypocrisy, shallowness and moral decay of wealthy Italians but feels too embedded in that world to have much bite, this is a soulless bit of self-indulgence that seems far too pleased with itself. It’s full of flashy technique and ostentatious stylistic flourishes but has almost nothing of note to say about the supposed burdens of privilege.

The writer-director-lead actor’s father, Sergio Castellitto, among his many screen credits starred for three seasons in the psychotherapist role on the Italian version of In Treatment. That provides a winking in-joke for domestic audiences in his casting here as another shrink, Celeste, the title character’s despondent father, who generally has his head too deep in books to look at life.

Among the wreckage of an old burnt out car, a blood-soaked mattress is lamentably gotten rid of in Gareth Malone’s hauntingly touching dramatic short Fly-Tipping. Malone, who made the film as part of his Filmmaking Ma at the University of the West of Scotland, quietly immerses the audience in his characters’ struggles with minimal dialogue as he allows the grey scapes and tones of the film to speak for themselves. As Fly-Tipping progresses it’s hard not to battle with intense feelings of empathy, dislike, pity and anger for both of its protagonists but the focus is immovably drawn to Margo, played by Sky Sinclair, who Malone realised was the heart of his film early on in development. Malone wrote the film as a way of exploring his own debates on parenthood and that struggle shines through the emotional tumult depicted within. As Fly-Tipping sets out on the start of its festival journey,...

Arthur Schmidt, the two-time Oscar-winning film editor who collaborated with director Robert Zemeckis on 10 films, including Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Forrest Gump and the Back to the Future trilogy, has died. He was 86.

Schmidt died Saturday of an unknown cause at his home in Santa Barbara, his brother Ron Schmidt told The Hollywood Reporter.

The second-generation film editor also cut three Mike Nichols features — The Fortune (1975), The Birdcage (1996) and Primary Colors (1998) — and two helmed by Michael Apted — Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980), for which he received his first Oscar nom, and Firstborn (1984).

His résumé over four decades included work on Marathon Man (1976), Jaws 2 (1978), Ruthless People (1986), Beaches (1988), The Rocketeer (1991), The Last of the Mohicans (1992) and Congo (1995), and he was brought in for three months to help tidy up the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie in 2003.

Schmidt received his Academy Awards in 1989 for Who Framed Roger Rabbit and in 1995 for Forrest Gump,...

Grab your beach towels as it is time to check in at Cousins Beach.

The second season of Prime Video's hit series, The Summer I Turned Pretty, is fastly approaching.

If you aren't already tuned into this series, and what it's about, we have all the reasons why you should give this book-to-screen adaptation a chance if you haven't already.

Whether you're a teen romance or family drama fan, love a great playlist, have a soft spot for Taylor Swift, or need something to fill the void of Virgin River or binge alongside Sweet Magnolias, The Summer I Turned Pretty has it all.

Check out why we think you should check out this series!

1. Balances Young Adult Romance, Family Drama, and Coming of Age Well

Dismissing The Summer, I Turned Pretty as just another young adult romance series about a love triangle would be a massive disservice to the gorgeous...

Disney bosses are working on a third instalment of 'Hocus Pocus' after successfully reviving the film for a sequel.Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy reprised their roles as three witches known as the Sanderson sisters for a second movie which was released in 2022 - almost 30 years after the original - and now it's been confirmed there are plans to bring 'Hocus Pocus' back for a third film.Sean Bailey, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, dropped the big news in an interview with the New York Times, simply stating: "Yes, 'Hocus Pocus 3' is happening."He didn't give any more details about the third movie or confirm which cast members would be returning. It comes after Midler recently voiced her fear that a third film may never get off the ground.Asked about the prospect of another sequel, she told E! News: "I'm not sure.

Bette Midler is crediting divine intervention for turning down “Sister Act.”

The multi-hyphenate talent revealed that she said no to starring in the 1992 musical comedy about a woman who pretends to be a nun while in the witness protection program. Whoopi Goldberg was instead cast in the lead role and later went on to star in its 1993 sequel “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.”

“I turned them down,” Midler told Variety. “They came to me with ‘Sister Act’ and I said, ‘My fans don’t want to see me in a wimple.’ Can you believe that? How off the wall is that? How crazy is that?”

She continued, “Jeffrey Katzenberg called me every day, ‘Please, please.’ I stood my ground because I really was afraid of the costume. Isn’t that amazing? I can wear anything but a nun’s habit?”

The “Beaches” star credited Goldberg’s performance, saying,...

The lawsuit alleging Taylor Swift stole lyrics in her 2014 single, “Shake It Off,” has been dropped just weeks before it was set to go to trial.

According to news reports, a judge dismissed the case Monday following a joint request by lawyers for both Swift and Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, the songwriters who filed the copyright infringement lawsuit. The reasons for the request remain unknown and the filing reportedly did not include mention of a settlement between the parties.

In Memoriam 2022: 100 Great Celebrities Who Died This Year!

Hall and Butler first filed the lawsuit in 2017. The pair wrote the 2000 song “Playas Gon’ Play” by R&b group 3Lw, which included Adrienne Bailon, Kiely Williams and Naturi Naughton. The song features the line, “Playas, they gonna play / And haters, they gonna hate.” The lawsuit argued it was those lines that Swift stole from to arrive at her chorus “the players gonna play,...

Update: Taylor Swift has shaken off a copyright lawsuit that alleged she had plagiarized the lead song to her 1989 album. The two songwriters, Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, dropped the suit and said they would dismiss the case with prejudice, meaning that they will not be able to refile, according to Reuters.

A trial for the case had originally been scheduled to start on January 17. The court papers filed on Monday did not state if there was a settlement involved between the parties.

The end of the lawsuit also gives way for Swift to continue re-recording her album.

Previously, September 3, 2020: A Los Angeles federal court judge has decided that two songwriters who claim their lyrics were pilfered by Taylor Swift for her massive 2014 hit Shake It Off may have a case.

US District Judge Michael Fitzgerald said that songwriters Sean Hall and Nathan Butler “have sufficiently alleged a protectable...

Albert Brenner, a production designer and/or art director on such films as Bullitt, The Turning Point, Pretty Woman and Backdraft who racked up five career Oscar nominations, has died. He was 96. The Mirisch Agency told Deadline he died December 8 in his sleep.

A 2003 recipient of the Art Directors Guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Brenner scored Best Art Direction/Set Decoration Academy Award nominations for Beaches (1988), 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984), California Suite (1978), The Turning Point (1977) and The Sunshine Boys (1975).

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Born on February 17, 1926, in New York City, Brenner served in the Air Force during World War II. His training later at the Yale School of Drama proved invaluable when...

Film and television production designer Albert Brenner died on Dec. 8 at the age of 96. His wife of more than 40 years, Susan, was by his side. Some of his prominent credits included production work on “Bullitt,” “The Turning Point,” “Beaches,” “Sunshine Boys” and “California Suite.”

Brenner’s talent was well-respected within the industry, notching him five Academy Awards nominations for best art direction throughout his long-spanning career, for “Beaches,” “California Suite,” “Sunshine Boys,” “The Turning Point” and “2010: The Year We Make Contact.” Brenner worked on 57 films across four decades in the entertainment industry. In addition, Brenner served on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Board of Governors along with a stint as the President of the Society of Art Directors. His contributions to the profession of production design was acknowledged by the Art Directors Guild with a Lifetime Achievement award in 2003.

Born on February 17, 1926 and raised in Brooklyn,...

Plot: Spoiler Alert tells the love story of Michael Ausiello and Kit Cowan and the heartbreaking turn it takes with Kit’s battle with terminal cancer.

Review: Tragedy and romance go hand in hand in Hollywood. From the Golden Age on, the lovestruck couple facing impossible odds can often connect with audiences on a deeply emotional level. When you look at films like Beaches or Steel Magnolias, the appeal is the drama and the cast. And now, in the new movie Spoiler Alert, we have a romantic tale that is very aware of previous ones that have come before it. The film stars Jim Parsons and Ben Aldridge as two men who fall deeply in love and share their life together before tragedy comes calling. It’s a heartfelt film with fine performances from the two leads and co-stars, Sally Field and Bill Irwin.

Michael Ausiello (Parsons) is a nice guy who writes about television.

There are four playable heroes to choose from in Gotham Knights - Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin, and Red Hood - with each character being suited to a particular playstyle. Players are free to swap between these four heroes at any point in WB Games Montréal's new title by returning to the Belfry, the Bat Family's base of operations. Characters level up alongside each other regardless of who is played, meaning that players don't have to worry about any heroes being left behind should they choose to switch things up later in the story.

Gotham Knights' cast of DC heroes is comprised of Batman's most iconic allies. Nightwing, aka Dick Grayson, was the Dark Knight's first Robin who later carved out his own superhero career in Gotham's neighboring city of Blüdhaven. Batgirl, real-name Barbara Gordon, was the first to go by that mantle, and in Gotham Knights has also spent time as Oracle,...

Exclusive: Oscar nominee Barbara Hershey (The Portrait Of A Lady) is attached to join Nick Nolte in Hank Bedford’s feature Eugene The Marine.

Nolte will play Gene, a former marine and widower who finds his highly regimented life deteriorating after his son begins pressuring him to sell his longtime home. Hershey, well known for her work in movies including Hannah and Her Sisters, Beaches, The Portrait of a Lady and Black Swan, will play Frances, a mysteriously familiar woman who sparks a new chapter in his life.

Stephen Vincent will produce. Matthew Shreder of Concourse Media is executive-producing and selling during the TIFF market.

Hank Bedford will direct the script he co-wrote with Cesare Gagliardoni. Bedford’s 2015 feature debut, Dixieland, starred Riley Keough and Faith Hill and was released by IFC Films.

Emmy and Golden Globe winner Hershey has recently starred in hit horror franchise Insidious and TV series Paradise Lost,...

A wickedly fun Hocus Pocus 2 poster is here to make all your Halloween nightmares come true! Featuring the Sanderson sisters all decked out for their fabled return, the Hocus Pocus 2 poster promises dark tidings for the Disney+ sequel casting a spell on September 30, 2022. Premiering on Disney+ for the platform’s Hallowstream celebration, Hocus Pocus 2 stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy (Sister Act) as three witches hellbent on bringing the town of Salem to its knees.

“It’s been 29 years since someone lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the 17th-century sisters, and they are looking for revenge,” says the official Disney+ press release. “Now it is up to three high-school students to stop the ravenous witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on Salem before dawn on All Hallow’s Eve.”

Hocus Pocus 2 also stars Sam Richardson (The Tomorrow War), Doug Jones...

Calgary-based filmmaker Berkley Brady is working on an adaptation of Metis author Maria Campbell’s memoir “Halfbreed.” The book, published in the 1970s, recounts a life of difficulty, struggle and discrimination, but it’s also a testament to the woman who ended up as a “pillar of her indigenous community,” points out Brady.

“We are looking at developing it as a series as well, depending on the interest,” she says.

“My great-uncle, who was an activist, is mentioned in her book. He was her hero. Now, she is mine. That’s why I came back to this part of Canada: I wanted to tell stories locally. It feels like the first time in history I am able to do so, so I am just trying to make the most of the moment.”

Brady will soon premiere her survival thriller “Dark Nature” – TIFF’s selection for the Fantastic 7 showcase at Cannes – at Fantasia,...

March 2022 is a great month for blonde women with cold, dead stares on Hulu.

With its list of new releases for March 2022, Hulu is highlighting two major original series ripped straight from the headlines. The first is The Dropout, which premieres on March 3. This show stars Amanda Seyfried (taking over from the previously cast Kate McKinnon) as Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. This story about high-level corporate fraud is truly wild, enough so to accommodate several books, podcasts, and even an upcoming film starring Jennifer Lawrence. Hulu is certainly hoping its version is the definitive one.

Read more TV Pam & Tommy Will Make You Hate Everyone But Pam By Alec Bojalad Movies Why The Princess Bride Is a Perfect Fantasy Movie By David Crow

The Dropout‘s spiritual counterpart will be The Girl From Plainville, which premieres on March 29. This is another story you might be familiar with. If not, just...

Forget the hearts and flowers, forget the mushy cards, forget Valentine’s Day — instead, grab your gal pals and celebrate “Galentine’s Day” on February 13! Not sure what this great day is?

In 2010, Amy Poehler gifted us with this “non-holiday” as Leslie Knopes on “Parks and Recreation,” declaring, “Every February 13, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home and we just come and kick it, breakfast style. Ladies celebrating ladies.” So, we’ve come up with the best movies that celebrate those female friendships.

It’s only fitting that we include Poehler’s collaboration with her real-life best friend Tina Fey, with their “Baby Mama” making the list. And if you’re looking for more laughs, grab your girlfriends, a bottle of wine and enjoy “Girls Trip” or “Bad Moms” or “Bridesmaids.”

SEEMost Romantic Movies Ever: 25 greatest films ranked from worst to best

In the mood for a good cry?...

Forget the hearts and flowers, forget the mushy cards, forget Valentine’s Day — instead, grab your gal pals and celebrate “Galentine’s Day” on February 13! Not sure what this great day is?

In 2010, Amy Poehler gifted us with this “non-holiday” as Leslie Knopes on “Parks and Recreation,” declaring, “Every February 13, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home and we just come and kick it, breakfast style. Ladies celebrating ladies.” So, we’ve come up with the best movies that celebrate those female friendships.

It’s only fitting that we include Poehler’s collaboration with her real-life best friend Tina Fey, with their “Baby Mama” making the list. And if you’re looking for more laughs, grab your girlfriends, a bottle of wine and enjoy “Girls Trip” or “Bad Moms” or “Bridesmaids.”

In the mood for a good cry? It’s a toss-up between “Beaches...

Kenneth Wannberg, composer and Emmy-winning music editor who worked on nearly half of all John Williams’ films dating back to the late 1960s, died Jan. 27 at his home in Florence, Oregon. He was 91.

Wannberg was best known as Williams’ music editor, working closely with the composer on more than 50 of his films. He assisted Williams throughout the scoring process, from providing detailed descriptions of sequences to be scored to more technical aspects such as trimming or modifying music during the last stages of post-production.

He music-edited the first six “Star Wars” films, the first three “Indiana Jones” films and such other landmark Williams scores as “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Jurassic Park,” “Schindler’s List” and “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”

During his 50-year career in films, Wannberg worked with many other composers including Bernard Herrmann (“Journey to the Center of the Earth”), Jerry Goldsmith (“The Mephisto Waltz”), Michael Convertino...

Taylor Swift’s years-long legal battle over the “Shake It Off” lyrics will stretch on into at least 2022 after a federal judge ruled Thursday that she must stand trial in the copyright case.

The singer was first sued in 2017 by songwriters Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, who claimed her 2014 hit “Shake It Off” lifted lyrics from their 2001 song for 3Lw, “Playas Gon’ Play”; specifically, both songs include variations of the phrases, “playas gonna play” and “haters gonna hate.”

The lawsuit was first dismissed in February 2018 by a U.S. District...

David Letterman opened Sunday night’s Kennedy Center Honors by telling the audience in the Opera House, “Tonight, it is quite nice, very nice, to see the presidential box once again being occupied.”

The crowd cheered and then gave President Joe Biden a standing ovation, after which Letterman quipped, “The same with the Oval Office.”

The ceremony marked a return to the large-scale, lavish gala of tradition, as Covid-19 forced last year’s ceremony to be postponed and later scaled back. But it also was the return of the presidential seal of approval, after four years in which President Donald Trump did not attend or host a pre-ceremony reception at the White House.

Instead, Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted honorees Justino Diaz, Berry Gordy, Joni Mitchell, Bette Midler and Lorne Michaels for an event in the East Room before the ceremony. The president gave Michaels, the creator of Saturday Night Live,...

Steve Restivo, an actor and former co-owner of Vitello’s Restaurant in Studio City, Calif., died on Nov. 5 at West Hills Hospital after a year-long battle with lung cancer and complications from Covid-19, his son Roy confirmed. He was 81.

Restivo was an actor for over 50 years. He was known for frequent roles as one of Garry Marshall’s acting troupe alongside Hector Elizondo and Larry Miller, appearing in films including “Nothing in Common” (1986), “Beaches” (1988), “Pretty Woman” (1990), “Frankie and Johnny” (1991), “Exit to Eden” (1994), “The Other Sister” (1999), “The Princess Diaries” (2001), “Raising Helen” (2004) and “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement” (2004). He also guest-starred in television shows such as “Quincy M.E.,” “Cover Up,” “Remington Steele,” “Nowhere Man” and “The New Adam-12.”

He and his brother Joe Restivo had owned Vitello’s for nearly 30 years before the murder of Bonny Lee Bakley, the wife of Emmy-winning actor Robert Blake, outside the restaurant in 2001. Blake was...

Steve Restivo, an actor seen in Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries and more, who also formerly co-owned Vitello’s Restaurant in Studio City, CA, died at West Hills Hospital on November 5, after a year-long battle with lung cancer and complications from Covid-19. He was 81.

Confirming Restivo’s passing to Deadline was his son Roy, a former 20-year senior television executive at NBCUniversal.

Restivo enjoyed a screen career of more than 50 years, finding frequent roles alongside the likes of Hector Elizondo and Larry Miller in the films of Garry Marshall, including Beaches (1988), Nothing in Common (1986), Pretty Woman (1990), Frankie and Johnny (1991), Exit to Eden (1994), The Other Sister (1999), The Princess Diaries (2001), Raising Helen (2004) and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004).

The actor also appeared in films including The Skateboard Kid 2, Inner Sanctum II, Hard Bounty and Sammy-Gate, finding guest-starring roles on the TV side in Quincy M.E., Cover Up, Remington Steele, The New Adam-12 and Nowhere Man.

When we first meet Alma (Déborah Lukumuena) and Margot (Souheila Yacoub), they are at each other’s throats. They are onstage, two of a gang of young hopefuls trying out for a plum role in a semi-experimental Parisian theatre piece, but the fight is not part of their audition. It is real, and yet at the same time, unreal.

There is something unconvincing in Margot’s ginned-up outburst, in the way it gets physical but not really, in the high theatrics of squaring off and flouncing out. And if we immediately realize why — outside the two embrace, laughing, gasping at the audacity of their ruse to get the attention of the play’s director — this opening, with its themes of performativity, showmanship and friendship so ferocious it can look like conflict, is the exactly appropriate in media res introduction to Anaïs Volpé’s first feature “The Braves” — perhaps even in...