You might not get the dog you want, but you always get the dog you need. That old dog-lover’s adage applies peculiarly well to Chinese director Guan Hu’s “Black Dog.” A far smaller-scale project than his recent blockbusters “The Eight Hundred” and “The Sacrifice,” Guan’s latest — an Un Certain Regard standout at Cannes this year — nonetheless has the grandly cinematic vision to lend an intimate tale a gloriously epic, allegorical edge.
Set in a dying town on the fringes of the Gobi desert, “Black Dog” has elements of the genre western, like taciturn loner antihero Lang (a fantastic Eddie Peng), who returns to his eroded hometown himself hollowed out by repressed guilt for the incident that caused his recent imprisonment. But, dipped in the caustic soda of social commentary and steeped in the fatalistic mood of a place barely chugging by on borrowed time, the film also...
Set in a dying town on the fringes of the Gobi desert, “Black Dog” has elements of the genre western, like taciturn loner antihero Lang (a fantastic Eddie Peng), who returns to his eroded hometown himself hollowed out by repressed guilt for the incident that caused his recent imprisonment. But, dipped in the caustic soda of social commentary and steeped in the fatalistic mood of a place barely chugging by on borrowed time, the film also...
- 5/21/2024
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: UTA has signed Shanghai and Los Angeles-based production, distribution and investment company Fundamental Films for representation.
Founded by Mark Gao in 2008, Fundamental Films was one of China’s biggest buyers before the pandemic, releasing films including American Hustle, Limitless, Lucy and the Taken and Transporter franchises.
The company acquired a significant minority share in Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp in 2016, releasing the French studio’s titles in China, as well as co-producing films, including the reboot of the Transporter series and fantasy epic, Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets.
UTA will provide strategic support in expanding Fundamental’s partnerships across film production and distribution, as well as identifying global IP, new business and technology investment opportunities.
Fundamental is releasing EuropaCorp’s upcoming action thriller, A Weekend In Taipei (aka Weekend Escape Project), starring Luke Evans and Gwei Lun-mei, in China this summer.
Commenting on the partnership with UTA,...
Founded by Mark Gao in 2008, Fundamental Films was one of China’s biggest buyers before the pandemic, releasing films including American Hustle, Limitless, Lucy and the Taken and Transporter franchises.
The company acquired a significant minority share in Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp in 2016, releasing the French studio’s titles in China, as well as co-producing films, including the reboot of the Transporter series and fantasy epic, Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets.
UTA will provide strategic support in expanding Fundamental’s partnerships across film production and distribution, as well as identifying global IP, new business and technology investment opportunities.
Fundamental is releasing EuropaCorp’s upcoming action thriller, A Weekend In Taipei (aka Weekend Escape Project), starring Luke Evans and Gwei Lun-mei, in China this summer.
Commenting on the partnership with UTA,...
- 5/2/2024
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Tatiana Maslany, Star of MCU’s She-Hulk, Addresses Marvel Fan Sexism: “It Felt Like Part of the Fun”
If you’re part of the MCU fandom, no matter which “side” you’re on, chances are you noticed that most shows and live-action movies in one way or another focus on female superheroes. It’s part of the new progressive and inclusive strategy that aims to open up the exciting world of superheroes to more than just one demographic.
The success of that strategy remains uncertain for now, as plenty of backlash is generated overall. The most recent example of that is ‘The Marvels,’ the lowest-grossing MCU movie so far.
But before ‘The Marvels,’ there was the ‘She-Hulk’ live-action TV show that introduced Bruce Banner’s cousin to the MCU. Strangely, the show was largely praised by the critics but totally panned by fans, which led even its main star Tatiana Maslany to comment on how the chances of the show getting a sequel were slim.
As it turns out,...
The success of that strategy remains uncertain for now, as plenty of backlash is generated overall. The most recent example of that is ‘The Marvels,’ the lowest-grossing MCU movie so far.
But before ‘The Marvels,’ there was the ‘She-Hulk’ live-action TV show that introduced Bruce Banner’s cousin to the MCU. Strangely, the show was largely praised by the critics but totally panned by fans, which led even its main star Tatiana Maslany to comment on how the chances of the show getting a sequel were slim.
As it turns out,...
- 4/20/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Fiction Horizon
If you’re part of the MCU fandom, no matter which “side” you’re on, chances are you noticed that most shows and live-action movies in one way or another focus on female superheroes. It’s part of the new progressive and inclusive strategy that aims to open up the exciting world of superheroes to more than just one demographic.
The success of that strategy remains dubious for now, as plenty of backlash is generated overall. The most recent example of that is ‘The Marvels,’ the lowest-grossing MCU movie so far.
But before ‘The Marvels’ there was ‘She-Hulk’ live-action TV show that introduced Bruce Banner’s cousin to the MCU. Strangely, the show was largely praised by the critics but totally panned by fans, which led even its main star Tatiana Maslany to comment on how the chances of the show getting a sequel were slim.
As it turns out...
The success of that strategy remains dubious for now, as plenty of backlash is generated overall. The most recent example of that is ‘The Marvels,’ the lowest-grossing MCU movie so far.
But before ‘The Marvels’ there was ‘She-Hulk’ live-action TV show that introduced Bruce Banner’s cousin to the MCU. Strangely, the show was largely praised by the critics but totally panned by fans, which led even its main star Tatiana Maslany to comment on how the chances of the show getting a sequel were slim.
As it turns out...
- 4/20/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Comic Basics
When Tatiana Maslany was announced to be starring as Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk, Marvel fans were excited about another talented actress playing a popular Marvel character. However, when the trailers and promotional material for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law were released, fans were concerned with the forced slapstick comedy and the show’s handling of the fourth-wall-breaking trait of the character.
Tatiana Maslany plays the titular character in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
The show ultimately was criticized by fans despite receiving good reviews from critics. Fans’ concerns came true and it is considered one of the worst entries in the MCU. Instead of owning up to the show’s failure, Maslany honed in on how the show itself predicted the criticism that was about to emerge.
Tatiana Maslany’s Defense for The Poor Reception for She-Hulk is Ridiculous The She-Hulk show was criticized for its shoddy VFX and forced humor
Tatiana Maslany...
Tatiana Maslany plays the titular character in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
The show ultimately was criticized by fans despite receiving good reviews from critics. Fans’ concerns came true and it is considered one of the worst entries in the MCU. Instead of owning up to the show’s failure, Maslany honed in on how the show itself predicted the criticism that was about to emerge.
Tatiana Maslany’s Defense for The Poor Reception for She-Hulk is Ridiculous The She-Hulk show was criticized for its shoddy VFX and forced humor
Tatiana Maslany...
- 4/20/2024
- by Rahul Thokchom
- FandomWire
Taiwan cinema has presented some of the best entries in the realistic/arthouse gangster film genre, with movies like “Dust of Angels”, “The Great Buddha+” and “Godspeed” highlighting the fact quite eloquently. Another standout of this approach is definitely “Goodbye South, Goodbye” a film, however that was the last of the Taiwanese auteur that was not successful.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Gao, an entrepreneur/gangster, rides the train to Pinghsi to set up an illegal gambling parlor, along with his friend Hsi. Also with them is his acolyte Flatty and his girlfriend, Pretzel, who works in a nightclub. Ying, Gao's girlfriend works in the same club but she does not like the people he associates with, considering them dangerous. Gao has already agreed with Hsi to open a nightclub in Shanghai but Ying pressures him to stay in Taiwan, to open a restaurant together.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Gao, an entrepreneur/gangster, rides the train to Pinghsi to set up an illegal gambling parlor, along with his friend Hsi. Also with them is his acolyte Flatty and his girlfriend, Pretzel, who works in a nightclub. Ying, Gao's girlfriend works in the same club but she does not like the people he associates with, considering them dangerous. Gao has already agreed with Hsi to open a nightclub in Shanghai but Ying pressures him to stay in Taiwan, to open a restaurant together.
- 3/29/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Tatiana Maslany, star of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, doesn’t think a second season of the Marvel series is going to happen.
During a recent interview, Maslany explained the reason as to why she thinks the Disney+ show will not be coming back.
“I don’t think so. I think we blew our budget, and Disney was like, ‘No thanks,'” Maslany said during an appearance on Codenames Live! — The New Class on Twitch.
In She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Maslany starred as Jennifer Walters, an attorney who specializes in superhuman-oriented legal cases. The nine-episode first season focused on Walters navigating her life as a single woman who is also a green 6-foot-7-inch superpowered hulk.
Guest appearances from the MCU in the first season included Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk, Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/Abomination, and Benedict Wong as Wong, as well as Jameela Jamil, Josh Segarra, Ginger Gonzaga,...
During a recent interview, Maslany explained the reason as to why she thinks the Disney+ show will not be coming back.
“I don’t think so. I think we blew our budget, and Disney was like, ‘No thanks,'” Maslany said during an appearance on Codenames Live! — The New Class on Twitch.
In She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Maslany starred as Jennifer Walters, an attorney who specializes in superhuman-oriented legal cases. The nine-episode first season focused on Walters navigating her life as a single woman who is also a green 6-foot-7-inch superpowered hulk.
Guest appearances from the MCU in the first season included Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk, Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/Abomination, and Benedict Wong as Wong, as well as Jameela Jamil, Josh Segarra, Ginger Gonzaga,...
- 1/17/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
For my money, "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law" is one of the better Marvel Cinematic Universe series to release on Disney+ so far. Like so many other recent MCU titles, you can tell the show suffered from a combination of having to service the greater MCU mythology and the House of Ideas' chaotic approach to film and TV production. Despite all that and only being allowed one hand on the steering wheel, "She-Hulk" head writer Jessica Gao and her fellow creatives still managed to craft a funny and frisky superhero sitcom -- one that even honored its source material's meta ethos with a clever finale that saw Jennifer Walters (a winsome Tatiana Maslany) playfully stick it to Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige. Well, a robotic version of him, anyway.
Unfortunately, with Marvel Studios now in the process of overhauling its approach to developing streaming series, that means any previous MCU shows...
Unfortunately, with Marvel Studios now in the process of overhauling its approach to developing streaming series, that means any previous MCU shows...
- 1/16/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
London, June 21 (Ians) A top virologist on the Un health body’s panel, Professor Marion Koopmans, has said that the World Health Organization (Who) should never have dismissed the lab leak theory about the origin of the Covid pandemic.
The Who in its initial assessment in 2021 had stated that it was “extremely unlikely” that Covid might have spilled into humans from a lab.
Koopmans, who heads the Department of Viroscience at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, is one of 12 people investigating the emergence of the pandemic on behalf of Who.
Speaking to the BBC podcast “Fever: The Hunt for Covid’s Origin”, Koopmans said the theory that the virus escaped from a secretive lab in Wuhan could never be ruled out, the Daily Mail reported.
“We shouldn’t have done that,” she added.
A team of experts from the Who spent four weeks in China in January...
The Who in its initial assessment in 2021 had stated that it was “extremely unlikely” that Covid might have spilled into humans from a lab.
Koopmans, who heads the Department of Viroscience at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, is one of 12 people investigating the emergence of the pandemic on behalf of Who.
Speaking to the BBC podcast “Fever: The Hunt for Covid’s Origin”, Koopmans said the theory that the virus escaped from a secretive lab in Wuhan could never be ruled out, the Daily Mail reported.
“We shouldn’t have done that,” she added.
A team of experts from the Who spent four weeks in China in January...
- 6/21/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
The comic writer for She-Hulk is claiming that the Disney+ version is accurate. That sounds about right since Dan Slott has written for She-Hulk comics for a while. The only issue now is that the series’s writing didn’t translate well. If the accuracy is spot-on, then it needs saying: Slott and Jessica Gao set this series up for the failure to come. While the show is doing better than Ms. Marvel and a couple of other series, this is a rather low bar to go by. In this manner, it would appear that She-Hulk is a win due to Gao’s
The Comic Writer for She-Hulk Claims that the Disney+ Version is Accurate...
The Comic Writer for She-Hulk Claims that the Disney+ Version is Accurate...
- 1/4/2023
- by Tom Foster
- TVovermind.com
Is anti-homophobia cheese on your charcuterie board this holiday season?
The cast of Netflix hit “Heartstopper” — Joe Locke, Kit Connor, Tobie Donovan, Yasmin Finney, and William Gao — filmed a holiday-centric video that the streamer tweeted on Christmas Day, including some glad tidings of good cheer: Season 2 is coming in 2023.
“Hi Heartstopper fans! We’re wishing you the merriest Christmas and New Year,” Locke says in the video. “We hope you’re eating lots of anti-homophobia cheese,” Donovan adds, before the video cuts to the moment in Season 1 when Darcy says, “It always pays to be prepared with anti-homophobia cheese.” And Gao closes out the video with the news that 2023 will see Season 2 premiere. “What more could you want?” he asks.
“Heartstopper” was an immediate hit for Netflix, with a two-season renewal ordered shortly after its premiere on April 22; Season 2 wrapped filming earlier this month. Based on the series of YA graphic novels by Alice Oseman,...
The cast of Netflix hit “Heartstopper” — Joe Locke, Kit Connor, Tobie Donovan, Yasmin Finney, and William Gao — filmed a holiday-centric video that the streamer tweeted on Christmas Day, including some glad tidings of good cheer: Season 2 is coming in 2023.
“Hi Heartstopper fans! We’re wishing you the merriest Christmas and New Year,” Locke says in the video. “We hope you’re eating lots of anti-homophobia cheese,” Donovan adds, before the video cuts to the moment in Season 1 when Darcy says, “It always pays to be prepared with anti-homophobia cheese.” And Gao closes out the video with the news that 2023 will see Season 2 premiere. “What more could you want?” he asks.
“Heartstopper” was an immediate hit for Netflix, with a two-season renewal ordered shortly after its premiere on April 22; Season 2 wrapped filming earlier this month. Based on the series of YA graphic novels by Alice Oseman,...
- 12/25/2022
- by Mark Peikert
- Indiewire
When "Heartstopper" hit Netflix earlier this year, it was nothing short of a phenomenon. The adorable, emotional teen romance was the title on everyone's lips for weeks after its first season debuted, so it was no surprise when it was renewed for more episodes just a month after it aired. But fans will still have to wait a while longer for the next chapter of the story of high schoolers Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick (Kit Connor), as season 2 only recently entered production.
Still, even in the off-season, "Heartstopper" is worth celebrating. The show was just nominated for nine Emmys at the newly launched Children and Family Emmys Awards, an offshoot of the prestigious award show that's designed specifically to honor media aimed at kids and teens. Connor and Locke are among the nominees, along with their co-stars Yasmin Finney, William Gao, and Olivia Colman.
While the Emmys show some "Heartstopper" love,...
Still, even in the off-season, "Heartstopper" is worth celebrating. The show was just nominated for nine Emmys at the newly launched Children and Family Emmys Awards, an offshoot of the prestigious award show that's designed specifically to honor media aimed at kids and teens. Connor and Locke are among the nominees, along with their co-stars Yasmin Finney, William Gao, and Olivia Colman.
While the Emmys show some "Heartstopper" love,...
- 11/5/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Kevin Feige could have looked look a Sentinel from The Matrix, and not a machine in your ophthalmologist’s office, based on newly revealed concept art for the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law season finale.
Midway through what was shaping up to be a “messy” finale showdown, Jen Walters (played by Tatiana Maslany) escaped through the Disney+ menu screen, confronted She-Hulk‘s writers on the Disney lot, and then marched off to meet with the revered K.E.V.I.N., a “giant A.I. brain” whose name stands for “Knowledge Enhanced Visual Interconnectivity Nexus.”
More from TVLineShe-Hulk:...
Midway through what was shaping up to be a “messy” finale showdown, Jen Walters (played by Tatiana Maslany) escaped through the Disney+ menu screen, confronted She-Hulk‘s writers on the Disney lot, and then marched off to meet with the revered K.E.V.I.N., a “giant A.I. brain” whose name stands for “Knowledge Enhanced Visual Interconnectivity Nexus.”
More from TVLineShe-Hulk:...
- 10/21/2022
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Spoiler alert: The following story contains spoilers for “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” season one.
Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige helped put “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” director Kat Coiro’s mind at ease when it came to filming that finale episode.
The “Marry Me” movie-maker told The Hollywood Reporter how she was worried about filming such an unconventional ending to a Marvel show. However, Feige and other bosses told her not to fret.
The episode, titled “Whose Show Is This?”, saw Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany) smash the fourth wall, using the Disney+ platform to wind up at Marvel Studios, where she discussed how the season should end with a robotic AI named K.E.V.I.N.
Read More: ‘She-Hulk’ Star Tatiana Maslany On The Season 1 Finale, Daredevil & The New Hulk In The Family
As THR questioned Coiro whether she was impressed that Feige and co. “were so willing to...
Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige helped put “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” director Kat Coiro’s mind at ease when it came to filming that finale episode.
The “Marry Me” movie-maker told The Hollywood Reporter how she was worried about filming such an unconventional ending to a Marvel show. However, Feige and other bosses told her not to fret.
The episode, titled “Whose Show Is This?”, saw Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany) smash the fourth wall, using the Disney+ platform to wind up at Marvel Studios, where she discussed how the season should end with a robotic AI named K.E.V.I.N.
Read More: ‘She-Hulk’ Star Tatiana Maslany On The Season 1 Finale, Daredevil & The New Hulk In The Family
As THR questioned Coiro whether she was impressed that Feige and co. “were so willing to...
- 10/21/2022
- by Becca Longmire
- ET Canada
"She-Hulk: Attorney at Law" quickly became one of the most interesting Marvel Cinematic Universe titles. No, it is not the best, but it brings a lot of new and fascinating things to the franchise, from its humor to its sex-positive attitude that we've never seen in the franchise before. Plus, let's not forget how it expanded the Marvel universe in ways that more accurately reflect the comic book world it is inspired by, even if they didn't have a huge impact on the MCU at large.
Indeed, the meta humor alone was a beacon of light in a franchise that was getting stale in its style of humor. Tatiana Maslany's Jennifer Walters constantly looked at the camera and poked fun at the conventions of a Marvel show in hilarious ways, even if the show still followed most of those conventions. Still, the low stakes, bigger focus on slice-of-life, mundane problems,...
Indeed, the meta humor alone was a beacon of light in a franchise that was getting stale in its style of humor. Tatiana Maslany's Jennifer Walters constantly looked at the camera and poked fun at the conventions of a Marvel show in hilarious ways, even if the show still followed most of those conventions. Still, the low stakes, bigger focus on slice-of-life, mundane problems,...
- 10/20/2022
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Spoiler Alert: reading further will reveal a key plot point in the season finale of “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law”.
The first season of Marvel’s “She-Hulk” concluded last week, containing the big revelation of yet another Hulk — this one a baby named Skaar.
The season finale also boasted a very unconventional ending for a project set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe; Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany) didn’t smash a foe, but instead smashed the fourth wall, using the Disney+ platform to wind up at Marvel Studios, where she discussed how the season should end with a robotic AI named K.E.V.I.N.
Anyone guessing that was a not-too-subtle nod to Marvel’s president and chief creative officer Kevin Feige can take a seat at the front of the class, and in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter the series’ head writer and executive producer, Jessica Gao,...
The first season of Marvel’s “She-Hulk” concluded last week, containing the big revelation of yet another Hulk — this one a baby named Skaar.
The season finale also boasted a very unconventional ending for a project set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe; Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany) didn’t smash a foe, but instead smashed the fourth wall, using the Disney+ platform to wind up at Marvel Studios, where she discussed how the season should end with a robotic AI named K.E.V.I.N.
Anyone guessing that was a not-too-subtle nod to Marvel’s president and chief creative officer Kevin Feige can take a seat at the front of the class, and in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter the series’ head writer and executive producer, Jessica Gao,...
- 10/20/2022
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Thanks to “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” we now know two things for sure: Captain America fuuuuuu–s, and She-Hulk smashes (Matt Murdock). And while Kevin Feige may have been ready and willing to reveal the first of those things, She-Hulk’s sex life was a bit more taboo for Marvel. But, according to the women involved, it was always going to be spotlighted, one way or another.
Marvel fans have long mourned the fact that, despite having an entire universe full of adults, the MCU rarely, if ever, shows those adults having sexual relations. Many were excited for the possibility of that changing with last year’s “Eternals.” But, when Cersei and Ikaris’ moment arrived, it was very PG and very short-lived.
Now, we have “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” streaming in its entirety on Disney+. And in this series, Jennifer Walters not only has a sex life, but has an active sex life.
Marvel fans have long mourned the fact that, despite having an entire universe full of adults, the MCU rarely, if ever, shows those adults having sexual relations. Many were excited for the possibility of that changing with last year’s “Eternals.” But, when Cersei and Ikaris’ moment arrived, it was very PG and very short-lived.
Now, we have “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” streaming in its entirety on Disney+. And in this series, Jennifer Walters not only has a sex life, but has an active sex life.
- 10/20/2022
- by Andi Ortiz
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
[This story contains spoilers for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.]
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law head writer and EP Jessica Gao is grateful that Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige encouraged her and her writers room to flip the script on the typical Marvel ending. Instead of a CG showdown with a baddie, Jen Walters/She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany) smashed the fourth wall and used the Disney+ interface to end up at Marvel Studios where she debated the show’s ending with a Kevin Feige-inspired AI named K.E.V.I.N.
Gao wrote at least 20 different versions of the finale episode, all of which featured a more conventional Marvel ending, but Feige ultimately freed her of that thinking.
“Kevin was the one who said, ‘There’s no reason to do a big Marvel ending. You’ve made a show that’s completely different than anything we’ve ever done before,...
[This story contains spoilers for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.]
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law head writer and EP Jessica Gao is grateful that Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige encouraged her and her writers room to flip the script on the typical Marvel ending. Instead of a CG showdown with a baddie, Jen Walters/She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany) smashed the fourth wall and used the Disney+ interface to end up at Marvel Studios where she debated the show’s ending with a Kevin Feige-inspired AI named K.E.V.I.N.
Gao wrote at least 20 different versions of the finale episode, all of which featured a more conventional Marvel ending, but Feige ultimately freed her of that thinking.
“Kevin was the one who said, ‘There’s no reason to do a big Marvel ending. You’ve made a show that’s completely different than anything we’ve ever done before,...
- 10/19/2022
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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