One of the most iconic moments in 2012’s Pitch Perfect (which you can watch with a Netflix subscription) is when Anna Kendrick’s character, Beca Mitchell, auditions for the Barden Bellas. The song she performs is “Cups” (or, “Cups (Pitch Perfect's 'When I’m Gone')”, a routine based on an old folk song by The Carter Family, written by A.P. Carter, that Beca accompanies herself on by playing a plastic cup.

The moment in the movie proved so popular with fans of the musical comedy that it became a big hit when it was remixed, extended and released as a single. To think, it wasn’t even supposed to be the song in the movie, as Kendrick explained recently on the podcast Call Her Daddy.

During the Pitch Perfect audition process, Kendrick, who we hope to see on the 2026 movie schedule with Misty Green, an upcoming release from A24, explained to host Alex Cooper that she had to prove she could sing. She decided to do her version of the song, along with the cup trick, which she had learned by watching a viral video. According to Hendrick:

The producers of the movie loved it. In fact, they loved it so much that the song Beca was supposed to sing, “I’m a Little Teapot,” was scrapped, and the routine was written into the movie. It’s impossible to imagine that scene taking off had Millennial icon Kendrick been singing the old novelty song. Nor would it have been a hit, it’s safe to say.

In fact, Kendrick didn’t think that “Cups” could be a hit. When the producers talked to her about recording it for a single, she thought it was nuts. Kendrick said:

Before the craze was over, “Cups” became a Top-10 hit, reaching as high as #6 on the Billboard charts. Along the way, Kendrick was dumbfounded at each step, which included making a video for the song. She really had no idea how to react, as she explained:

Whether she could believe it or not at the time, it has since become one of the most iconic moments and songs of the Pitch Perfect franchise. It was performed by Barden Bellas in the sequel as a ballad. It didn’t appear in the third movie, but it does have a cameo on the Pitch Perfect 3 soundtrack, where it was mashed up with George Michael’s “Freedom ‘90,” and it was also performed by the contestants of The Voice Season 12. Who knows, maybe we’ll see it again if Pitch Perfect 4 ever gets made!

Every so often we get a true pop culture phenomenon, and the Twilight franchise was certainly that. Based on the already incredibly popular book series of the same name, the films that starred Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner took things to another level when it came to the fascination surrounding the story of vampires, werewolves, and teenaged love triangles, making megastars out of many in the cast. Anna Kendrick was also featured in the movies, and her story about how her co-stars handled fans during that time is absolutely stressing me out!

What Anna Kendrick Said About How Her Twilight Co-Stars Dealt With Fans

It can be a shocking experience for any actor to go from obscurity to sudden fame, and maybe even more so when the project that’s made them famous is based on a book series that has as many fans as Twilight. Leads like Kristen Stewart have recalled things like her first paparazzi experience involving her getting caught “smoking a bowl,” and Taylor Lautner remembering how “insane” things got at one fan screening, but Anna Kendrick’s role as high schooler Jessica Stanley was a much smaller one which meant less fame-stress for the young star.

During a recent interview with Call Her Daddy, the Pitch Perfect lead was trying to explain how she’s kinda forgotten that she was in the beloved franchise, mostly because (as she’s previously said) she was a bit of a “bystander” when it came to the intense popularity and fandom surrounding the movies. But, she did get to see how stars like Stewart and Lautner dealt with the fans, as she said:

It’s hard enough for an actor to land a major gig like a book-to-screen adaptation of a novel series with millions of fans, but to then have the added pressure of having those fans seriously judge you just because they don’t think you look enough like your character is pretty rough.

Of course, it sounds like even if fans did enjoy what the actors were doing, it also led to some crazy situations, with Kendrick noting that most of those who portrayed the supernatural characters at the heart of the story simply stayed in their hotel rooms to avoid fan interactions. I like to avoid people on a good day, and I’m completely un-famous, so the level of anxiety which could be produced by being famous and constantly having folks want to interact would be off the charts! She continued:

As the Oscar nominee noted, her Twilight character was mostly comedic relief, and never got deeply involved in any of the supernatural shenanigans that many of the other characters did. In 2025, which was the 20th anniversary of the first book’s release, Robert Pattinson opened up about how “mind-blowing” it is that the movies still have the die-hard fans that they do, and Kendrick’s part is, even now, well remembered for its lighthearted, quippy nature.

Though she’s also said before that filming the first movie was like surviving a “hostage situation” because of how grueling the weather was, she’s always been really thankful for how the job positively impacted her career, as well as the bulk of the experience she had working with the cast and crew. All that, and she never had to hide out because of the fans? It definitely sounds like this was an experience to remember.

As a millennial in her mid-thirties, I don’t actually feel super old, but things have kept happening to me that have, as Westworld so memorably put it, started adding a bit of ‘a rind’ on me. First, there was Macaulay Culkin virally admitting he was 40. Then, the Harry Potter cast started having a bunch of babies. After that, Gen Z’s own Millie Bobby Brown got schooled by Chris Pratt about what it was like back in the day to take a polaroid “selfie,” and I died a little on the inside. Now, Anna Kendrick has turned 40 and I’m reeling.

There’s something about watching a celebrity grow from a teenaged actress into a middle-aged adult that is a bit disarming. In my mind, Anna Kendrick is certainly older than the teen pal she played in Twilight and the college-aged student she portrayed in the Pitch Perfect series, but in my head she should still be playing a younger person. Perhaps a young woman at the start of her career a la Up In The Air (a movie which I am just now realizing actually came out in 2009. Yikes.)

Listen, I get that I shouldn't be this delusional. I saw the recent Another Simple Favor sequel and I realize in that movie she played the mom of an older kid. Time has passed. Yet, I was still shocked to see her 40th birthday post.

There's no denying 40 looks great on her. From her stunning one-piece swimsuit to her glittery mini dress and her luxe evening gown with the fun neck detailing in the back, she is 40, flirty and thriving. I'm really here for posts like these that have been coming down the pipeline from other millennials like Britney Spears or Kim Kardashian in recent years who have celebrated their 40ths in style.

Anna Kendrick's career is thriving, too, with recent projects including the Another Simple Favor voice work in the Trolls and ParaNorman universe and a Chris Rock-directed movie Misty Green currently in production.

I can't wait to see what upcoming movie releases Ms. Kendrick rolls out next, but in the meantime, I'll leave you with one more anecdote about turning 40. If you, like me, are hitting that millennial era where middle age is here or just around the corner and you feel like it's hard to believe we are here, Seth Meyers also recently touted the benefits of turning 40. He noted 40-50 was a much better time in his life than 30-40, so here's hoping life only gets better as we hit this milestone era. If Anna Kendrick is a rolemodel, it looks like all we need to embrace it is a glittery dress.

Spoilers ahead for Another Simple Favor, look away if you haven't watched the mystery sequel!

Sequels are a tricky thing, especially if folks loved the original. Rather than a sequel nobody asked for, Paul Feig's Another Simple Favor is something that fans like me have been waiting years to see. The follow-up mystery (which is streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription). But given the murderous way A Simple Favor ended, I needed a better reason why protagonists Stephanie and Emily ended up being besties again.

The Reunion Between Emily And Stephanie Was Way Too Easy

The chemistry between Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively was a big reason why the first Simple Favor movie worked, but there was a lot of bad blood by the time its runtime was up. Stephanie slept with Emily's husband, and the latter attempted murder in response. But after a few quips and a martini, the two were somehow able to put that all behind them for Another Simple Favor. And I simply couldn't get over this turn of events while watching the sequel.

Obviously I know why this had to happen logistically. We needed the movie's two leads to be on each other's side once the bodies started stacking up during Emily's wedding in Capri. But I really can't imagine how homicide and adultery would end up being water under the bridge, especially with Lively's character literally going to prison after the event of the first movie.

I wrote CinemaBlend's A Simple Favor review back in 2018, and I've spent years telling anyone who would listen just how great Feig's sassy mystery film was. I was pleased that a sequel was finally shot and heading straight to our homes on Amazon, but found that Another Simple Favor was lacking some of that same charm. And I assume I'm not the only one who found Stephanie and Emily's friendship strange the second time around. Critical response to Another Simple Favor hasn't exactly been glowing.

But I'd Still Totally Watch A Third Movie.

Of course, Kendrick and Lively could end up paired as these characters for yet another entry into this burgeoning franchise. The ending of Another Simple Favor set up future adventures for Emily, who was living in hiding in Italy. She received a mysterious assignment from Elena Sofia Ricci's Portia, so it seems like the story could go just about anywhere in a threequel.

We'll just have to wait and see how many folks tune into Another Simple Favor, and if Amazon decides to pull the trigger on a third installment from Paul Feig's franchise. The release came amidst Blake Lively's legal issues with Justin Baldoni, so we'll have to see whether or not any publicity is actually good publicity.

Another Simple Favor is streaming now on Amazon as part of the 2025 movie release list. Despite my complaints about the sequel, I'd still totally watch a third installment.

There were always going to be eyes focused on a movie like Another Simple Favor. The first movie was a surprise hit, leading to the sequel happening in the first place. However, the film is also the first major project for Blake Lively since It Ends With Us. That movie set has resulted in multiple lawsuits, both by and against Lively. There have also been rumors of conflict between Lively and her Simple Favor co-star Anna Kendrick, but director Paul Feig is denying there’s any feud.

There are lots of stories about actors on movie sets being a problem to work with and while there have been some cases of real problems, Feig insists that, at least in the case of Blake Lively, reports regarding Lively being difficult to work with mostly stem from people who don’t understand how movie sets actually work. He tells Esquire…

The source of the misconception, according to Feig, is the idea that movie stars are simply paid players who show up to read lines and then go home. While there may be stories about Blake Lively trying to have some control of productions, that’s only because that’s how it always works on set. Feig continued…

Certainly, with lawsuits having been filed by Blake Lively against her It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni, and with more lawsuits filed by him, including suits that include Lively's husband Ryan Reynolds and the New York Times, whatever may have happened on that set went beyond the norm. Of course, that movie was also different because, in addition to being an actress, Lively was also a producer.

Feig seems to indicate that anything that may (or may not) have happened on the set of A Simple Favor was nothing more than the normal interactions between people on a movie set. Lively and Kendrick have no issues working together to promote the film, something that wasn't the case following It Ends with Us.

For the filmmaker, anybody who has an extreme reaction to the stories about Blake Lively needs to relax, because there’s simply no reason to be outraged here. Feig explained…

While Paul Feig may be looking to reduce the outrage, with lawsuits set to go to trial next year, the controversy surrounding Blake Lively likely won't be going away anytime soon, whether or not this is all actually normal for a movie star.

Warning: massive spoilers for Another Simple Favor are about to be liberally poured.

It’s starting to really feel like summer in some parts of the world. There’s nothing like a cold drink in your hand, a blessed event to celebrate, and a trail of dead bodies potentially triggering a mob war. All this and more is offered in director Paul Feig’s 2025 movie schedule, offering Another Simple Favor, and the end result is a cliffhanger so twisted, I need to see more.

Naturally, this means we’ll need to talk big time spoilers involving Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, and a handful of other cast members involved in this Prime Video subscription booster. So if you’re looking to learn more without spoiling the surprises, you can check out our Another Simple Favor review elsewhere.

But for the rest of you fake true crime fiends out there, let’s pour ourselves a martini, and get into what I think happened - and where it could lead!

Another Simple Favor Ends With A Massive Cliffhanger, And I Think I Know What It Means

Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) has once again journeyed through hell at the hands of her own family. As it turns out, the woman also known as Hope McLanden had a secret triplet named Chastity (Lively), who, with their aunt Linda (Allison Janney), went on a murder spree during her destination wedding in Capri.

When all is said and done, Chastity was responsible for killing ex-husband Sean (Henry Golding) and new beau Dante Versano (Michele Morrone); while Linda ices her sister/mother to triplets Margaret (Elizabeth Perkins). That last murder was in order to adjust to Charity going off script by disposing of Emily’s angry ex-husband, as Dante was always the sole intended target.

With that fun new family member going to jail in the place of “Emily,” Hope could be considered a free woman. That is, until this final ask from her mother-in-law, Portia Versano (Elena Sofia Ricci), transpired:

With that request, Portia passes a piece of paper to Hope, and we never see or hear what’s on it. All that follows is the ladies clinking glasses, right before we cut to credits. That being said, I think Another Simple Favor ends with Portia Versano making Emily Nelson swear to kill her latest adversary, keeping this latest round of murder in the family. And to connect the dots, we have to walk through the wilderness of mirrors that preceded this finale.

The McLanden Family Mess Directly Led To Dante’s Death

As it turns out, all three of the triplets born to Margaret McLanden (Elizabeth Perkins) survived! Hope (our current antihero), Faith (the sister killed in A Simple Favor’s twisted ending), and Charity were all born happy and healthy. That third baby was apparently hidden by good old Auntie Linda from day one, thanks to some creative lying.

With Linda telling Margaret that Charity died in childbirth, Another Simple Favor’s big bad took an opportunity to raise a little bundle of joy of her own - all in the name of the con. Look, fineries like Blake Lively's pizza purse are expensive, and some people really like that sort of thing.

Not Charity, though. Sheltered beyond belief, to the point where she has an unhealthy sexual obsession with her triplet, all that third McLanden wants is to be with Hope forever. Hence, the double homicide of the men in Emily’s life, so she can keep her all to herself! And somehow…she survived this betrayal.

Another Simple Favor’s Third Act Twists Show That Hope Actually Has A Heart

Despite being set up as the woman we all love to hate, the person known to the world as Emily Nelson found herself doing something sweet in this seductive sequel. Admitted in her own confession to Stephanie, Hope/Emily shares that her marriage to Dante Versano was a cover for his relationship with a member of a rival family: Matteo Bartolo (Lorenzo de Moor).

This “small, beautiful thing in this fucked up world” was done to avoid a mob war, in exchange for an old friend helping Emily/Hope get out of prison. But even with all of that compromised by her sister fucker/stalker Charity, Another Simple Favor’s head bitch in charge took pity. Knowing the horrific things that she went through, and seeing a way to tie up loose ends yet again, Hope doesn’t kill Charity.

She just has her arrested in her place, which some might think is an elegant solution to the problem. However, that does leave two dangling threads that Portia Versano is probably looking to tie up. And what better way than to ask Hope to finish the job with Charity, so as to cover up this whole incident, while getting revenge against Dante’s killer?

A Third Simple Favor Movie Could Offer The Perfect Twist For Stephanie

We’ve been talking a lot about what Another Simple Favor may have done for Hope McLanden’s future. However, she’s only the Moriarty to this potential franchise’s Holmes, true-crime vlogger turned author Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick). So if we’re really going to have a ballgame here, we need a reason to bring Stephanie into the picture, and there’s a perfect three-quel worthy twist that’s sitting in plain sight.

If we’re going to see A Simple Favor 3 take place, Stephanie is more than likely going to have to break bad. While Hope/Emily will naturally do the dirty work, Ms. Kendrick’s astute crime solver will be needed to plot out this potential murder in such a way that both parties would get away with the results.

Considering Blake Lively's recent post of support for Anna Kendrick, that looks like a good possibility. At least, that's if this supposed debunking of the alleged Lively/Kendrick feud holds up between now and when/if a potential sequel is pitched.

It’s not exactly the kind of story that allows its author to go to print unless some sort of unforeseen twist puts Stephanie so in the clear she can write without fear of incrimination. But maybe that’s the best gift that Blake Lively’s anti-hero could give her dear companion: a chance to live the adventure, rather than just document it. Did anyone else just hear the clink of cocktail glasses, or was that just me?

Should you have answered “yes,” you’ve probably just seen Another Simple Favor. But if you’ve somehow read this rundown without hitting “Play,” that’s alright. There’s plenty of stylish murder and mayhem awaiting you on Prime Video, as that brand new sequel is now streaming for your pleasure.

Even though we all love to talk about long-standing celebrity friendships and Hollywood bromances, nothing really gets people going quite like the idea of famous people feuding. Sometimes, no matter how those involved in said potential feud attempt to dispel rumors, word of conflict continues. This has been the case with Another Simple Favor (which has now hit the 2025 movie schedule) co-stars Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively recently, but after rumors of their supposed battle heated up again, Lively has given some support to Kendrick on social media.

Why Are There Rumors Of Feuding Between Anna Kendrick And Blake Lively?

With the sequel for Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively’s 2018 hit mystery/thriller/comedy A Simple Favor now here, the stars have been out promoting Another Simple Favor for several weeks. While there had previously been vague rumors of the two leads not quite getting along so famously while working on the original, that talk really ramped up in early March, when the film had its world premiere at SXSW. The Pitch Perfect talent was asked what it was like to reunite with the Gossip Girl star and only said, “Oh, you know…” letting her words trail off as she continued to interact with fans.

Then there was another red carpet event for the film, this time with the Woman of the Hour director/star and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants actress both in attendance and posing together. This led to even more fan speculation that the two aren’t getting along, because of their stiff poses, with a body language expert noting that there were “few signs of relaxed and authentic fun or rapport” between the stylish stars (who had seemingly coordinated their outfits for the event).

How Did Blake Lively Support Anna Kendrick Amid Another Simple Favor Feud Rumors?

The movie’s director, Paul Feig (who also directed the first film) had to clap back at talk of the women clashing way back in January, when an X post suggested that Another Simple Favor was going to be shelved “indefinitely” because of Lively’s wide-ranging legal issues with her It Ends with Us director/co-star Justin Baldoni, and “growing tensions with Anna Kendrick.” The Bridesmaids director called that report “total BS,” and now it appears that Lively is again attempting to squash rumors by giving support to her co-star after Kendrick’s recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Kendrick showed off her singing talents during a new segment called “Song Scramble,” which saw her and Fallon trade off at trying to mix the lyrics from one song to the tune of a completely different popular song. Lively took to Instagram Stories to compliment Kendrick’s performance:

Not only did Lively note how impressive Kendrick was during the segment, she also declared that she’d like to have her version of “MMMBop/Beautiful Things” as her phone ringtone. You can watch the full clip, below:

WOW, right? Just look at Lively's full comment, and it's hard not to agree with her:

I do appreciate that they are all trying to keep things professional and focus on the film, and whether or not they do or don’t get along isn’t really an issue for fans as long as they delivered another movie as good as the first one. Just think about it, at some point all of us will work with someone we don’t gel with, but as long as we can still get our work done, that’s all that really matters.

This week, April comes to an end, and May gets started. While this likely means temperatures are going up and people are looking to spend a little less time in front of the television, your favorite streaming services are certainly going their best to keep us on the couch.

From brand new films to classic franchises, the movie content coming in May is solid. We will, of course, get three new episodes of Andor this week, but that’s not the end of the Star Wars goodness, as there’s also some excellent new Star Wars content for May the Fourth. Here’s a look at what’s hitting streaming this week.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - May 1 (Disney+)

Spider-Man is the one Marvel character the studio still doesn’t completely own the movie rights to, but thanks to a deal with Sony, most of the live-action Spidey movies can now be found on Disney+. Starting May 1, the Spider-Verse grows even larger with the animated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse makes the jump from Netflix to Disney+.

Another Simple Favor - May 1 (Prime Video)

A Simple Favor was one of those simple, character-driven dramas that occasionally surprises with its level of success. Despite a solid box office return, the sequel, which will see both Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick return, will only be available with a Prime Video subscription.

The Four Seasons - May 1 (Netflix)

In The Four Seasons, three couples who vacation together go through major life changes over the course of one year. Based on the hit 1981 film written, directed, and starring Alan Alda, this adaptation reimagined for Netflix the story as a limited series and boasts an incredible cast including Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, and Will Forte.

Ocean's Franchise - May 1 (Netflix)

With reports that George Clooney and Brad Pitt may be looking to get the team back together for another Oceans 11 sequel, now may be a great time to revisit the original series. All three previous Oceans movies hit Netflix this week.

Black Bag - May 2 (Peacock)

Based on Black Bag's meager box office take, you probably didn't see it. But based on Black Bag's reviews, this spy thriller starring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett from the incomparable Steven Soderbergh is a movie you absolutely should see. If you've got a Peacock subscription, you can do exactly that this week.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge & Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance | Disneyland® Resort - May 4 (Disney+)

May the Fourth is celebrated as Star Wars Day, and Disney+ usually adds something from the franchise as a way to celebrate. This year, we’ll get the animated Star Wars: Tales From the Underworld, but far more interestingly, this week, a Disney+ subscription will get you a virtual walk-through video of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, as well as a full ride-through of the incredible Rise of the Resistance attraction. One can only hope this will be the first of a new breed of Disney Parks content on Disney+ that will let us experience rides when we're not in the parks.

Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor - May 4 (Netflix)

Conan O’Brien stole the show at the Oscars this year, and his performance as host was so popular he’s already set to return next year. It’s as good a time as any for Conan O’Brien to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor from the Kennedy Center. You’ll be able to watch the whole show with your Netflix subscription.

Next week, two popular series return. Fans of Conan O'Brien will get even more of him when his travel show Conan O'Brien Must Go returns, and the long wait for Season 2 of Natasha Lyonne's Poker Face finally comes to an end.

Actress Blake Lively has been a celebrity for a long time, but she's been making a tonof headlines recently. Namely because Lively and Ryan Reynolds have been fighting a legal battle with Justin Baldino, who directed and starred in It Ends With Us (streaming with a Netflix subscription). This has put more eyes on how she and Anna Kendrick are promoting Another Simple Favor, and now a body language expert has dropped their opinions on the women's behavior.

The public has been following stories about the Gossip Girl actress for months, starting when Lively's behavior with journalists going viral. But her It Ends With Us lawsuit really turned heads, as did his countersuit. Fans online have been trying to observe Lively and Kendrick while they're on a promo tour, and body language expert Judi James spoke to Daily Mail about what she thinks is going on between the two actresses. She theorized the outside drama might be influencing things, offering:

What we know about Another Simple Favor is limited, but Kendrick and Lively presumably wouldn't sign up for a sequel if they disliked each other. So perhaps this point stands, and it's the ongoing It Ends With Us drama and extra eyes that's resulting on some awkward red carpet moments.

While anticipation for Paul Feig's sequel (which will be available for those with an Amazon Prime subscription) is growing, the headlines recently have been about its two stars. James revealed another reason why they might look awkward on the red carpet, offering:

She also pointed out that some of the not-so-flattering photos coming from Kendrick and Lively are due to them talking on the red carpet. Specifically, talking at the same time as each other. Although the body language expert also observed some lack of affection, saying:

They say that all publicity is good publicity, so it should be interesting to see just how well Another Simple Favor does when it arrives on Amazon. Given the viral nature of Lively, and the streaming success of It Ends With Us, and I have to assume that a ton of eyes will be on the new project. So perhaps this chatter about it stars will be worth it in the end.

All will be revealed when Another Simple Favor hits Amazon on May 1 as part of the 2025 movie release list.

I've been so excited for the release of Another Simple Favor ever since it was announced the sequel was being made, and in just two weeks, This upcoming 2025 movie will be in our households via Amazon Prime. Ahead of its early May release, Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively reunited in London for a special screening of the film, and I can’t take my eyes off them both showing out in black fits!

During their appearances in England alongside director Paul Feig and co-star Henry Golding, the Another Simple Favor leads donned black, but in completely different ways. Check out their sleek looks:

Lively and Kendrick look like they totally coordinated their fits (even though we have no idea if they did), but their specific pieces bring out their own sense of style. Lively had on a leather jacket dress with a long flowing skirt, while Kendrick went for a lacy two-piece sheer dress that gives the kind of classic feminine, frilly fashion that the actress is known for. Inversely, Lively’s attire does kind of fit into the villain vibe of her Simple Favor character.

I absolutely love seeing these co-stars together again after things got awkward at the SXSW premiere, especially considering it was Lively's first appearance since the Justin Baldoni legal situation she’s been in following It Ends With Us. In Another Simple Favor, the actresses are joined by Andrew Rannells, Allison Janney, Jean Smart and Alex Newell.

I’m obviously living for these two looks, but more than anything, I love the presence of director Paul Feig, who is holding up a martini for the press photo. It’s the best energy he can have given all the rumors that have been circulating around his leading actresses. Also, martinis are a whole big thing in A Simple Favor and, surely, Another Simple Favor. He also just looks too cool in that marvelous navy suit that seems to be coordinated with the poster for Another Simple Favor. Obsessed!

Another Simple Favor is coming out seven years after the original movie, which was such a fun twisty mystery from the director of Bridesmaids. But this time around, Kendrick’s Stephanie has been invited by Lively’s Emily to her lavish wedding in Capri, Italy to be her maid of honor. From what reactions have come out so far, there’s more murder and twists this time around, too! Those who have seen it already have called it everything from “utter nonsense” to “divinely twisted” and “satisfying”.

Particularly, a lot of first viewers have spoken to the amazing fashion throughout the movie, too. We’ll of course have to see for ourselves when the movie drops on Amazon Prime on May 1.

Paul Feig’s Another Simple Favor — the sequel to Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick’s 2018 thriller — is still a couple of months away from hitting the 2025 movie calendar. There's already there’s been plenty of behind-the-scenes buzz, though. This weekend, however, movie lovers finally got to talk about the film itself. The sequel premiered at the South by Southwest film festival, and it sounds like we’re in for an even more unhinged experience this time around.

Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively are among those reprising their roles from A Simple Favor, and they’re joined by some new faces to the franchise, including Michele Morrone, Alex Newell and Allison Janney. Another Simple Favor sounds like fun when murder strikes an Italian wedding, but Jacob Oller of AV Club is missing Kendrick and Lively’s cat-and-mouse dance. The best part of the new film is the wardrobe, though Oller says the clothes outshine the mystery, characters, cast and humor. He gives the movie a C+, writing:

Owen Gleiberman of Variety also says the sequel provides “more twists and less fun.” The first half of that statement is quite a feat with all of A Simple Favor’s crazy plot twists. Anna Kendrick’s Stephanie has hardened since the first film, and the sequel loses something in that power dynamic shift, according to the critic, who says:

If you’re like me and needed A Simple Favor’s ending explained to you, get ready, because Christian Zilko of IndieWire says the sequel makes even less sense but in a good way. Paul Feig uses the same formula as the first, but ramps it up with some Italian mafia. Zilko, who graded the movie a B-, says:

Kristy Puchko of Mashable says Another Simple Favor is at its best when Blake Lively cuts loose in “psycho-biddy fashion.” Anna Kendrick is still plucky, but the movie frankly drags when Emily isn’t on screen, Puchko says. In her words:

Glenn Garner of Deadline says audiences may note a few similarities between Another Simple Favor and its predecessor, but Paul Feig makes sure this is more than cashing in on existing IP. The nods to the 2018 movie serve as a playful wink, as the sequel stands firmly on its own. Garner continues:

It may be a little too soon to start talking about a threequel, especially given some of the speculation that Anna Kendrick wasn’t too thrilled about working with Blake Lively again. Either way, it sounds like Paul Feig didn’t pull his punches in this sequel, and audiences are in for quite a wild ride.

If you need a refresher on how the first movie went down seven years ago, A Simple Favor received much love on Netflix, so be sure to check it out before Another Simple Favor becomes available to stream with an Amazon Prime Video subscription

on May 1.

The past few months have seen Blake Lively embroiled in a legal battle with Justin Baldoni, who she worked with on the 2024 film It Ends with Us. Both Baldoni and Lively have leveled allegations against each other and continue to do so. All the while, Lively has a new film on the horizon – the sequel to A Simple Favor. The film reunites her with director Paul Feig as well as co-star Anna Kendrick. Both of the lead actresses were on tap for the film’s premiere at SXSW and, when asked about reuniting with Lively, Kendrick replied awkwardly.

While Anna Kendrick attended the Austin, Texas-based Southwest by Southwest, she interacted with fans. Video footage from Entertainment Tonight, which was shared on Instagram, showed her signing autographs and taking selfies with admirers. While the star made the rounds when promoting Another Simple Favor, ET asked her what it meant to her to reunite with Blake Lively again. Ultimately, Kendrick only issued her three-word answer, for which the aforementioned clip has gone viral:

In the comment section, various users are interpreting that brief response in a myriad of ways. Some seem to view it as the Pitch Perfect alum’s way of being diplomatic and respectful as she promotes her 2025 movie schedule release. Others, however, appear to perceive the reaction as a bit of shade towards the Age of Adaline alum, with one person opining that Anna Kendrick is “already over it,” with “it” likely referring to the situation surrounding her scene partner.

Of course, we can’t personally say for sure exactly what the Woman of the Hour director was thinking at that moment. What we might be able to assume, at the very least, though, is that she’s being careful when it comes to answering queries related to her co-star. You can see the video for yourself below:

Speaking of Blake Lively, she filed a legal complaint against Justin Baldoni – who directed and co-starred in It Ends with Us – this past December. Lively claimed Baldoni sexually harassed her and others on the set and alleged that he worked with a PR firm to launch a smear campaign against her. Baldoni ultimately denied the allegations and has since filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband (Ryan Reynolds) and more for alleged defamation and extortion. Ahead of that Lively also filed suit against Baldoni over the same claims made in her legal complaint.

As far as the A Simple Favor sequel goes, the vast majority of the cast and crew have seemingly remained mum on the co-lead’s legal issues. However, Paul Feig did clap back after it was rumored that the film was being shelved due to the actress’ lawsuit drama. Feig called the rumor “total BS” while also explaining the film’s post-production schedule.

It’s likely that Anna Kendrick, Paul Feig and co. will do more press for the film as its May release date draws closer. How they’ll choose to address their collaboration during any upcoming interviews remains to be seen. For now, we’re just left with a somewhat uneasy response from Kendrick.

Another Simple Favor is set to be released on May 1 and will be available to stream with a Prime Video subscription.

Woman of the House is the scariest film I’ve watched from the 2024 movie schedule, and that’s in great part because of its commentary about toxic masculinity and women’s safety. While the story follows a serial killer who goes on The Dating Game, at its core, this movie is about the fear that comes with being a woman and the issues with institutionalized toxic masculinity. Now, the screenwriter is opening up about that and how the film is about “toxic male behavior on a spectrum.”

Ian McDonald, who wrote the script for Anna Kendrick’s fantastic directorial debut Woman of the Hour, spoke to IndieWire at length about how he crafted this film about a real serial killer. He also talked a lot about using the story as a way to drive home a bigger point. He explained that this film isn’t just “about serial killers,” it’s also focused on showing “toxic male behavior on a spectrum.” Elaborating on that point, the writer said:

In the film, we see this spectrum too. While Rodney, the killer, is clearly terrible, and we witness that throughout the various flashbacks of him killing various victims, other men in the film are toxic too.

Take the other Dating Game contestants for example. There’s a scene toward the end of the film where Anna Kendrick’s character asks the players “What are girls for?” The two guys who aren’t the murderer are also awful as they scoff at the question and give answers that allude to their belief that women are objects.

In another scene, we see a male security guard take a woman to an office when she tells him she needs help, because she recognized the killer on the game show. He tells her to wait for his superior, however, that man never comes. In fact, he doesn’t exist.

Both examples are nasty, and while it’s not as bad a murder, obviously, it is on this spectrum of toxic male behavior that McDonald was talking about.

Much like Woman of the Hour’s final moment of a woman gasping after Rodney was arrested, these other points that cause pause. They made me think about the greater social issues that this film was addressing, and just how scary they are.

This commentary mixed with expert filmmaking from Kendrick, a thrilling and meaningful script from McDonald and more are what make Woman of the Hour not just a good true crime movie, but one of the best movies of 2024 that really has something important to say.

To go back and watch the film with this new knowledge, you can stream Woman of the Hour with a Netflix subscription.

If you guys are anything like me, you head into an evening – or even into a long weekend – wondering, “What can we watch?” Because there is an overabundance of content available on the best streaming services out there, we can dive into dramas, comedies, thrillers, historical epics, television shows, movies… whatever whets our whistle, But because we have so much new stuff that’s arriving on a weekly basis, we easily lose track of things we’ve circled as “Want To See,” and then they have come and gone.

With that in mind, I wanted to zero in on the movies that have lobbied for our attention in 2024, hoping to put five off-the-radar hits back in your eye sight – and save you time on ones that I thought were a disaster. Because I found more gems than anticipated out of the 75 films I’ve seen so far this year, I’m leaving off obvious sequels such as Dune: Part 2 and Inside Out 2. If you liked the other movies in that series, you should watch those sequels. But here are five great movies you might have missed, and I think they are worth circling back to, to check out.

Civil War

I’m not concerned with anyone’s politics. On a purely technical level, ALex Garland’s Civil War deserves to be seen for the way that the director stages large-scale combat sequences on American soil – something we don’t get to see very often (if ever) on the big screen. The final act of Civil War might as well be called Call of Duty: The Movie, as Garland puts us in the POV of soldiers and journalists storming a devastated and war-torn Washington, DC to reach their ultimate goal. I also appreciated all that the movie said about the importance of capturing history in the moment, and I thought both Cailee Spaeny and Kirsten Dunst were spectacular.

Alien: Romulus

This has been a killer year for Spaeny, who excelled as a fledgling war photographer in Civil War, then blasted into the stratosphere as a working-class grunt embarking on a heist in the latest Alien thriller. It’s hard to be a tougher-than-normal female in an Alien movie and not trigger comparisons to Sigourney Weaver. But I thought Spaeny carved her own niche in an intelligent action flick that boasts some incredible set pieces… tough to do in a franchise that has been around as long as this one has.

Strange Darling

The less you know about Strange Darling, the better. Imagine a serial killer story, told through the lens of Quentin Tarantino. And then press play on the movie, and enjoy the ride. Director JT Mollner does everything in his power to keep us off balance as his unexpected story unfolds. And I think the lead performance by Willa Fitzgerald deserves awards consideration… if the Oscars bothered to truly recognize genre filmmaking, and not just when it’s convenient, or fits their narrative. You’ll have a tough time figuring out where Strange Darling is going, and that’s the bulk of the reason why it’s so fun.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

If you read me at all, you know I love superhero movies. I also grew up on Christopher Reeve’s Superman, and I stand by the fact that Reeve embodied the persona of Superman better than any actor since has occupied a comic role. Hugh Jackman as Wolverine comes close. But when you watch this staggering documentary about the strength of Reeve’s spirit, you will better understand that he IS Superman, as well as a super man. This documentary follows Reeve’s journey in the wake of a devastating horse-riding accident that left him paralyzed. But it’s infused with hope, with heart, with humor, and with love. It’s an inspiration jolt, and a love letter to the power of endurance. You will believe a man can live.

Woman of the Hour

I’m a huge fan of Anna Kendrick, and I frequently admire when she drifts outside of easy hits like Trolls or Pitch Perfect to explore dramatic material in Alice, Darling, The Accountant, The Last Five Years, and more. Then, there is the delicious hook of this film’s plot, which details the time in real life when a serial killer who had been terrorizing the Western states appeared as a contestant on the game show The Dating Game. Within those confines, Kendrick – making her directorial debut – finds rich soil to till with regard to gender politics, the shallowness of the entertainment industry, and the ability of a killer to slip through the cracks of society. This one is a must watch.

Now that you have five movies that I highly recommend, you don’t have time to waste watching hot garbage. And believe me, the next five movies are hot garbage. This list was a little harder to put together, mainly because I don’t go out of my way to watch bad movies. But here are five movies I went to see this year that I thought had a chance to be good, and I don’t think you need to make the same mistake.

Madame Web

The movie that proves Sony really doesn’t know what it’s doing with its Spider-Man universe, primarily because there’s absolutely no reason for this movie to exist. It’s a prequel, which means Peter Parker is a literal baby in the story. It’s based on a character no one knows… including Dakota Johnson, who played her. And it features zero hero work, save for an appearance of three possible superheroes in a closing shot. What a disaster.

IF

This one hurts, because I like John Krasinski (who directed the film), and Ryan Reynolds tends to be funny and charming, even in fantastical drivel. But this story about Imaginary Friends who have been forgotten by their grown ups seems flawed in its concept, and nothing attempted by Krasinski or his main actress, Cailey Fleming, can help capture the awe and wonderment that is supposed to be in the script. IF ultimately felt manipulative to me, failing to earn any of the sentiment it thought it was peddling. I thought this was a flop.

The Crow

We didn’t need another adaptation of The Crow. And watching Rupert Sanders trying to restage this material only cemented the fact that The Crow remains a relic of a specific time, when gothic themes and techno-metal fueled a generation of Hot Topic shoppers. But the biggest ding against this take on The Crow is the leading couple Bill Skarsgard and FKA Twigs have less-than-no chemistry together, so we never buy into their ill-fated love, or his desire for revenge that propels his journey. Hollywood struggled for years to get a new take on The Crow into theaters. They should have left it alone.

Horizon: An America Saga - Part One

Another one that completely bums me out. Believe it or not, film critics go into almost every movie hoping to love what we see. We don’t do this to seek out duds. And if you tell me that Kevin Costner is self-financing a new Western because he believes in the story, I’m going to get excited! Sadly, Horizon feels like the first 100 pages of a much longer novel, and so the entire film just sets up stories that don’t pay off – at least, not in this film. Costner has gone on to say that he envisions four Horizon movies, but he won’t get to make any more of them unless he makes them entertaining. And this one is not.

Venom: The Last Dance

Back to the Sony Spider-Man universe, just to kick the Venom franchise to the curb. Listen, Tom Hardy seems to enjoy what he’s doing in these films. And yes, the visual effects to create the symbiote have drastically improved since the first movie. But no real story ever evolved over the course of these three, and I’ve instantly forgotten anything that happened in this uneven attempt at being a movie. Forever, I will wonder how Sony made three Venom films, and never got close to actually including Spider-Man. That seems like a huge middle finger to fans. Not the best approach.

We still have a number of weeks left in 2024, and movies like Wicked, A Complete Unknown, and The Brutalist will be angling for a spot on one of these lists. Best? Worst? We’ll know soon enough.

Anna Kendrick may be known for being in the cast of Pitch Perfect and for making her directorial debut in the popular Netflix movie Woman of the Hour. However, we can’t forget about the time she played a human resources consultant with George Clooney in Up in the Air, and neither could she. The Twilight actress recalls the time the award-winning actor helped her on the first of filming the Oscar-nominated film and she didn’t realize how helpful he was until years later.

One great thing about working with an actor like George Clooney is his extensive experience as a director still hasn't escaped him even when he's acting. He certainly knows how to keep his actors in check so they’re ready to give it all when the cameras turn on. Kendrick sure was lucky to have an actor like Clooney to work with in a big movie like Up in the Air. She told Business Insider a clever way that he helped ease her worries on the first day of shooting:

I can imagine what a comfort it must have been for a prolific actor like George Clooney to tell Anna Kendrick he gets nervous as well. Considering his success in his best movies and the longstanding talent he has, it must have been reassuring for the Simple Favor actress to know an accomplished actor like Clooney can still get nervous. His ability to connect with her on a personal level must have been the reason why their onscreen chemistry as two HR co-workers was so flawless.

George Clooney relating to Anna Kendrick on their first day of shooting Up in the Air must have been a big help to her if she remembered that moment over a decade later. However, there’s a little twist to the story as the Rocket Science actress revealed something about that memory that she didn’t realize until about eight years later:

I agree with Anna Kendrick that it’s the perfect way to help someone feel better when taking on a huge role like Natalie in Up in the Air. Before the Jason Reitman movie, Kendrick played supporting roles in films like The Twilight Saga and the musical-comedy Camp. Compared to behaving like an experienced actor with a “been-there-done-that” attitude, George Clooney instead decided to relate to his young co-star and allow her to feel valued and understood in her feelings. Clearly, the Michael Clayton actor’s technique worked as Kendrick delivered an amazing performance that earned her first Oscar nomination.

Being able to listen and adapt to your co-stars is a great quality to have when sharing the screen for a movie together. It proves that George Clooney cares that the actors he works with are comfortable and that making a great movie is a team effort. Anna Kendrick continued to talk about what else makes the Cecil B. DeMille recipient such an admired actor:

It’s clear that George Clooney cares about collaboration and ensuring that everyone feels support when working together. As the saying goes, if one domino falls, the others will follow. Clooney truly sees how nerve-wracking the craft of acting can be and uses his expansive experience to ensure that everyone knows it’ll all be fine. Considering Up in the Air earned six Oscar nominations and Golden Globes, I’d like to believe everyone feeling comfortable with one another helped make the chemistry between Clooney, Kendrick, and Vera Farmiga look like perfection.

With George Clooney pretending to get nervous so Anna Kendrick would feel relaxed on her first day filming Up in the Air shows his remarkable ability to empathize with his actors’ struggles compared to revealing too much of his own confidence. The thoughtful gesture highlights Clooney prioritizing connection over his own bravado, showing that it’s okay to be vulnerable and that being a team can make any experience easier. You relive Clooney and Kendrick’s successful on-screen collaboration by watching Up in the Air available on your Max subscription.

Before text rolls across the screen explaining what happened to Rodney Alcala after the events of Woman of the Hour, the final moment of the movie shows Amy, the woman who called the police and got the killer arrested, gasping. It’s a jarring and unsatisfying way to end the film. However, that’s the point, as director Anna Kendrick explained while discussing the end of her film on Netflix’s 2024 release schedule.

Woman of the Hour is easily the scariest movie I’ve seen this year, in part because of its ending. While Rodney was arrested, the final instance is a gasp before it’s revealed that he actually didn’t go to prison until a while after that. While the woman he took was safe, this story wasn’t finished or happy. Anna Kendrick addressed that creative choice of ending with a gasp and its significance with Tudum, saying:

In Into The Woods, the finale song – “Finale: Children Will Listen” – is all about the characters reflecting on what they’ve been through and how they move forward after tragic events. While it seems like the song will end with the lyric "and happy ever after," the final line of the track and the show is actually Cinderella singing “I wish.” To me, that choice encourages the audience to reflect on the good and bad that came with everything these characters wanted. It also puts an exclamation point on the notion that while the show is over, the story is not.

Notably, Anna Kendrick was part of the Into the Woods movie cast, and she played Cinderella. Therefore, she’s very familiar with this line and its significance. So, I love that she used it as a way to end her film as well, because it’s incredibly effective.

I find it terrifying and brilliant that Woman of the Hour ended on this note, especially considering what happened to this serial killer after the runaway teenager escaped him.

After hearing the runaway Amy gasp, text rolls across the screen noting what happened to all the people after the events of the film. It includes the fact that “a teenage runaway escaped Rodney Alcala by asking him to keep the encounter a secret,” which is what Amy did in the film. However, then it reveals the following information about what happened to the serial killer after he was arrested:

After that, the credits explain that the runaway appeared in court 31 years after Alcala went to prison to testify against him. As Kendrick said, she was safe in the final scene of the film, but her story didn't end there -- as she testified so many years later -- and the trauma didn't go away.

Woman of the Hour is critically acclaimed because of Kendrick’s vision and the way she handles this chilling, terrifying and vulnerable story. While making this movie about a killer who harmed so many women, she also made the film a fantastic commentary on the fear women feel on a daily basis and the terror and mistreatment that comes with institutionalized misogyny and sexism.

While Rodney’s victims' stories go on beyond this film, hence the final gasp, the greater issues and themes presented in it do too. That’s a big reason why Woman of the Hour has haunted me for weeks now; I also think it’s why it is so brilliant.

To go back and see this final moment Kendrick was talking about, you can watch Woman of the Hour with a Netflix subscription.

Anna Kendrick’s latest movie, Woman Of The Hour, arrived last weekend for anyone with a Netflix subscription, but amidst promoting the movie, she’s noticed she’s getting a lot more calls for Pitch Perfect 4 from the public. Oh, and her own mother, who even reached out to her about an idea she is “willing to sell.”

When Kendrick stopped by Chicks In The Office to talk about her thrilling directorial debut, she spoke to the possibility of the Barden Bellas reuniting after 2017’s third movie. As the actress shared, in the past six months particularly, she’s noticed the public is “really insistent” on another sequel about the a cappella group, including her mom. In her words:

As Kendrick shared on the podcast, she is getting calls for Pitch Perfect 4 so much that it’s even reaching text exchanges with her closest relatives. While on the show, she shared that her own mother has “an idea” for how the franchise could continue, but wouldn’t get into details over text. Oh, and she’s so serious about it, she started talking about getting the studios involved. Aca-scuse me, Mama Kendrick is clearly ready for her daughter to return just like fans!

Kendrick was then pressed about whether Pitch Perfect 4 was actually in the works, or something a lot of people want. Here’s how she responded:

Speaking of Rebel Wilson, back in May, the actress said there was a fourth Pitch Perfect “being developed” but the script had to be right first before moving forward. It doesn’t sound like Anna Kendrick is clued into the process, but it’s great to hear she’s up for it, should a good idea roll in. She continued:

Many of the Pitch Perfect gals are close friends in real life and have reunited multiple times in their personal lives, including for the movie’s 10th anniversary a few years ago. When CinemaBlend caught up with Brittany Snow earlier this year, she said she picked Anna Kendrick’s brain about directing while helming her own first feature, Parachute. Since the gals have kept up their bond so well over the years, it certainly feels like it’s only a matter of time before Pitch Perfect 4 happens.

However, every movie needs the budget to back it up, and as Rebel Wilson spilled earlier this year, Universal almost replaced the whole cast with younger actors for the third film, and it felt like “a kick in the face” to the original cast. Hopefully with all this conversation around another movie, we do see Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson and more in a sequel, because the people certainly want it!

Now, I’m easily spooked. When I look at the upcoming horror movies, I pick and choose which I see carefully, because I’m not trying to have nightmares. However, when Anna Kendrick’s true crime thriller Woman of the Hour popped up on Netflix’s slate of 2024 releases, curiosity got the best of me, and I had to watch it. Little did I know, this film would wind up being the scariest movie I’ve watched this year, and I think it’s important to talk about why.

When I used my Netflix subscription to watch Woman of the Hour, I knew what I was getting into, to an extent. I knew it was a true crime film about a serial killer who went on an episode of The Dating Game. However, I wasn’t expecting it to be such an effective and terrifying commentary on just how scary it is to be a woman. So, let’s break down why that’s the case.

The Woman Of The Hour Brought Up Constant Fears Of Safety Many Women And I Feel In A Terrifying Way

I’ve been raised to always watch my back, be alert and have my hands on my keys or pepper spray, especially when I’m going somewhere alone. I’ve taken self-defense classes, and I’m always on edge that someone could take me. And I’m not the only one, it’s common for women to feel this way.

We’re taught from a young age that we could be used and abused easily. Sadly, there are too many examples of men kidnapping, murdering or sexually assaulting women that affirm that worry. Woman of the Hour addresses all that fear in abundance, and in turn terrifies me.

In the film, Rodney, the killer played by Daniel Zovatto, befriends women, makes them feel comfortable and then kills them. He actively uses these women’s kindness and trust against them, and then brutally murders them. The film doesn't shy away from showing all of this too, and hearing the women scream reignites this constant fear I feel about my own safety.

I’ve always abided by the “stranger danger” mindset, and this film reaffirmed why it’s important to be that way. I quite literally was scared to walk to my car after watching the project, and that’s terrifying.

Anna Kendrick Captured The Fear Of Being Approached By A Sketchy Man Perfectly

Woman of the Hour is truly terrifying because Anna Kendrick effectively and accurately captures the tension that builds when one is approached by or dealing with someone they shouldn’t trust. The scene that sticks out the most to me is toward the end when Kendrick’s character Sheryl goes out to dinner with Rodney and quickly realizes she’s in trouble.

During her meal with Rodney, they have a conversation about the game show, and Sheryl is obviously off-put by him. She wasn’t that into being on The Dating Game in the first place, so that’s not shocking. However, as the scene goes on it becomes obvious that she senses something is bad about this guy.

Even though she wasn’t aware of Rodney’s past, her gut instinct was telling her something was off, and the way she was acting as she tried to get away from him without causing a scene was all too relatable. Then, things got really bad when she said she wasn’t going anywhere with him and refused to tell him her phone number as he whispered:

After that, the real terror kicks in as Kendrick’s character runs back to her car and immediately locks herself into it.

Between the way the tension builds and focuses on the evolution of Sheryl’s terror, I couldn’t help but feel the urge to scream at her to run, because I knew what could happen if she didn’t.

Now, while I’ve thankfully never experienced that, the amped-up fear she was feeling is something I have felt before when approached by a sketchy man. You never know what could happen, and immediately when I begin thinking something is off, I try to find a way to escape.

This film captured that terror of knowing you need to get away from a person who could be predatory perfectly, which is why I both deeply appreciated it and was so utterly scared by it.

Overall, Woman Of The Hour Is All About The Fear That Comes With Facing Misogyny And Sexism

Woman of the Hour is getting great reviews because of Kendrick’s brilliant and unsettling vision. At the root of that, I think this film works so well because it's ultimately about the terror that comes with misogyny and sexism.

Two moments specifically highlight this point in very different ways.

One comes when Laura recognizes Rodney on The Dating Game, and she tries to tell someone that a killer is on the show. A security guard advises her to wait for someone to come meet with her, and it ends up being a sham; he just straight-up doesn’t believe her.

With movements like Me Too and many high-profile cases involving women coming forward with their stories of being sexually abused and assaulted by men of power, this situation feels all too relevant. The notion of not being believed or getting torn down for sharing your story is terrifying, and this film highlights that inherent misogyny that’s still very present in our society.

The other moment that stood out to me that really scared me was when Anna Kendrick’s character asked her bachelors:

That question alone is chill-inducing, because girls aren’t “for” anything, we’re not an object. However, Sheryl was baiting the men with this question to show that it’s not just the killer who is evil. These men also see women as objects for them to use, which is just the worst thing ever to think about.

So, overall, not only does this film invoke a fear of being taken and used, but it also highlights a greater cultural problem that still exists today. As a woman, I’m always scared that I won’t be treated fairly or with value, and I’m frequently nervous about the possibility of facing acts of violence. Woman of the Hour depicts both those fears with detail and tension in a way that left me breathless at the end of the film, which is why it's so well done and worth watching.

Spoilers ahead for Woman of the Hour.

Anna Kendrick has had a wildly successful career on the stage and screen, and now she's adding another hyphen to her name: director. Her directorial debut Woman of the Hour is now streaming for those with a Netflix subscription, she shocks it out of the park. As a horror fan I was thrilled to see how genuinely terrifying it was, and there's one part of the Netflix movie I think other directors should learn from.

I got to see Woman of the Hour at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, a year before it finally got its release on Netflix. And on the second watch I was once again taken with how expertly Anna Kendrick built the movie's tension throughout its 94-minute runtime. And perhaps more importantly, it sticks the landing and has a wildly successful conclusion.

Woman of the Hour's critical response has been overwhelmingly positive, with plenty of journalists noting just how terrifying it is. For one, there's the device of being shown Rodney killing a number of victims. This shows as Anna Kendrick's Cheryl prepared for and films an episode of The Dating Game. And more chillingly, while she connects with the killer aka Bachelor #3, allowing for the audience to steadily worry more and more about the movie's protagonist.

And once Woman of the Hour runs of out of flashbacks, things feel even more dire. Cheryl and Rodney go out for drinks after wrapping their episode of The Dating Game, and it becomes clear that now Kendrick's character was in very real danger of being just the latest in a long list of victims from the serial killer.

After a tense, wordless exchange with a waitress refusing another round of drinks, Cheryl leaves the bar... along with Rodney. This is almost wordless parking lot pursuit plays out like the finale of any horror movie, but without any actual blood violence. Instead, the audience stays with Cheryl's POV, and feels every bit of fear as she tries to distance herself from the killer. It's a remarkable scene that leaves one breathless, and completely relieved when Anna Kendrick's character manages to make it out alive.

But Woman of the Hour isn't over there, and in fact what follows makes the ending of Kendrick's directorial debut all the more satisfying. When the audience is introduced to yet another young victim of Rodney's named Amy, it feels like a grim death sentence given what we know. Despite having no power she finds a way to manipulate Rodney and eventually escape when given the chance. So after all that pain and fear, we get a happy ending, as well a postscript that reveals what happened to each of the real-life charaters.

So many horror movies fail to have a satisfying ending, or get boring after the premise or one too many jump scares occur. And as such, I think there's a lot to be learned from Kendrick's work on the Netflix movie.

With both her performance and directorial vision for Woman of the Hour, I'm ready to elevate Anna Kendrick to full scream queen status. Give us another upcoming horror movie, please! For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.

While we tend to talk about the differences between the Twilight movies and books quite a bit, we don’t talk about enough of the variety of experiences the Twilight cast had on the popular films. While its leads Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner were thrown into a whirlwind of fame, the experience wasn’t quite as extreme for everyone else in those films – including Anna Kendrick.

Kendrick played the supporting role of Jessica in every Twilight film. While she says she gets recognized a lot for being in the vampire movies lately, she shared why she feels like a “bystander” to the phenomenon, telling Business Insider:

In the Twilight franchise, Anna Kendrick plays a human classmate and friend of Bella who never gets immersed in the inner turmoil of the protagonist’s life as she meets the vampires and werewolves of Forks, Washington. Her part oftentimes serves as comic relief to break the tension, and she has tons of memorable scenes. However, her experience on the films just wasn’t as heightened as her cast mates. As she continued:

It sounds like the Pitch Perfect actress kind of got the best of both worlds when it comes to being in these movies. She got to be part of a massive piece of pop culture and share scenes with its talented cast without getting picked apart for how she was playing the character or being followed around by the paparazzi. Kendrick also said this:

The Trolls star has commented before about how the Twilight stars went from heartthrobs to “the butt of every joke.” She called the tone shift “very funny” and “very wild” to her.

The main stars have spoken extensively over the years about their different experience starring in the films too. For example, Kristen Stewart once recalled the first time she was photographed by the paparazzi while “smoking a bowl” with her ex-boyfriend and her dog on her parent’s porch. It was that moment when she realized Twilight was going to be a huge deal. Kendrick, conversely, doesn't have those stories to tell about being in the franchise.

Now, years removed from the vampire flicks, Anna Kendrick has made quite the name for herself. Her latest movie, Woman of the Hour, is a true crime thriller that is also her directorial debut. It’s about serial killer Rodney Alcala appearing on The Dating Game in the midst of a murder spree. It's receiving high praise from critics, and it is available to stream now with a Netflix subscription.

Anna Kendrick has done so much in her career as an actor, including earning nominations for a Tony, Emmy and Academy Award. And now she’s added another feather to her cap. Woman of the Hour, which hits the 2024 Netflix schedule on October 18, is Kendrick’s directorial debut in which she also stars as bachelorette Cheryl Bradshaw. The based-on-a-true-crime thriller follows serial killer Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto), who amidst his murder spree was a contestant on The Dating Game. Critics were able to screen the film ahead of its release, so what are they saying about Kendrick in this new role?

Fans have been excited about Woman of the Hour since its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, and now that it’s hit the 2024 movie release calendar, let the critics help you decide if you want to make this part of your weekend bingefest. Our own Corey Chichizola calls it a “triumphant masterclass in tension,” writing:

David Fear of Rolling Stone notes the way Anna Kendrick has taken a story about a serial killer and made it a statement on the way society treated — and continues to treat — women. Fear says:

Ella Kemp of Empire rates it 3 out of 5 stars, saying that Anna Kendrick shows promise as a director by making a serial-killer thriller that’s less about the murderer and more a tribute to the voices he silenced. Kemp continues:

Anna McKibbin of the AV Club gives Woman of the Hour a B, calling the director’s debut effort “ambitious,” as she’s not satisfied to simply gesture toward the magnitude of misogyny. In McKibbin’s words:

Kristy Puchko of Mashable, however, says Anna Kendrick fumbles her attempt to tell a true crime story by trying to blend her signature humor into the murderer’s grisly tale. By using cliched setups to tell the stories of Rodney Alcala’s victims, they are reduced to cautionary tales and an uncomplicated “all men are bad” narrative, Puchko says, writing:

Woman of the Hour is receiving mostly positive reviews, earning a Certified Fresh 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. If you want to check out Anna Kendrick’s highly anticipated directorial debut (or any of Netflix’s other most binge-worthy programming), you can do so now, as the film became available to stream with a Netflix subscription on October 18.

One comedy that stands a good chance of hitting the 2025 movie schedule is A Simple Favor 2. After the first movie starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively creeped into our hearts back in 2018, director Paul Feig has brought the pair of women back together for another fun crime thriller. Kendrick recently spoke about the sequel as we await the A Simple Favor 2 release date.

Anna Kendrick is currently promoting her directorial debut, Woman Of The Hour, which will be available to stream with a Netflix subscription this weekend. While speaking on The Jess Cagle Show (via YouTube), she was asked by the hosts whether she was eyeing to helm the sequel rather than Feig after getting behind the camera. Here’s what she had to say:

As Kendrick shared on the radio show, she would never want to replace her A Simple Favor director due to how he’s able to pull off the unique tone of the comedy that threads a needle between fun and drama. Aside from the A Simple Favor movies, Paul Feig has been responsible for steering the phenomenon of a movie that is Bridesmaids, along with The Heat and Spy. He has a “magic mind” indeed!

As the radio hosts shared their love for the first movie, Anna Kendrick teased a little something about the sequel. In her words:

News of the second A Simple Favor movie was announced in 2022, with the screenwriter from the first movie, Jessica Sharzer, back to write the sequel’s script. A Simple Favor 2 was filmed in spring 2024, and when Paul Feig spoke with CinemaBlend during San Diego Comic Con, he gave us an update on the movie. Feig said he is “so happy with it” and that the movie “scored through the roof” when they tested it early with audiences.

Along with A Simple Favor 2 having Kendrick and Lively back to sip martinis, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Joshua Satine and Ian Ho will reprise their roles as well. While the movie’s release date hasn’t been revealed, we suspect it is on the way next year. After the twists and turns of the first movie, it’ll be exciting to see just how the movie “ups the ante.”

A Simple Favor is one of the best comedies to watch on Netflix right now. You can do a crime thriller Anna Kendrick double feature starting this Friday when Woman of the Hour hits the streaming service.

Whether you’re endlessly scrolling through what’s new on Netflix or trying to figure out what’s coming up on Disney+ that's worth your time, navigating through every streaming service can take so long that you run out of time to watch anything at all. Luckily, we here at CinemaBlend go through everything that's coming up and pick out some highlights that we think are at least worth giving a look.

We’re crossing the midpoint of October, which means we’re getting very close to Halloween. Plenty of spooky and fun offerings are heading to all the best streaming services, including one special item you can watch even without that subscription. Here are some highlights of what’s hitting streaming this week.

New TV

Family Guy: Halloween Special - October 14 (Hulu)

After being canceled more than once, Family Guy has been going strong for decades. Like any good animated series, Seth MacFarlane's show has a Halloween special lined up this season but, unlike others, the Family Guy: Halloween Special isn’t airing on broadcast TV and will require a Hulu subscription to watch.

Shrinking Season 2 - October 16 (Apple TV+)

Apple TV+ saw a pair of shows end their seasons last week, with Slow Horses and Bad Monkey wrapping up. Luckily, there's still a reason to keep your Apple TV+ subscription. Harrison Ford rarely makes TV appearances, and he even more rarely appears in comedies, He's done both by starring on Shrinking alongside Jason Segel and a great cast. The show was a big enough hit that it earned the surprisingly elusive Season 2.

2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - October 19 (Disney+)

If you’re a serious music fan you need a Disney+ subscription. The streaming service has multiple original documentaries about various artists as well as great classic and modern concert movies. On October 19, both the modern and the classic come together when the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is livestreamed. This year’s inductees include Cher, Mary J. Blige, Ozzy Osbourne and A Tribe Called Quest.

New Movies

Woman of the Hour - October 18 (Netflix)

Anna Kendrick makes her directorial debut in Woman of the Hour, which is available to Netflix subscription holders. The film is inspired by the events surrounding the life of serial killer Rodney Alaca, who appeared on The Dating Game amid his late ‘70s killing spree. In addition to directing the film, Kendrick co-stars as game show contestant Cheryl Bradshaw.

With the end of October approaching, you can be sure the horror content will get kicked up a notch. There are plenty of interesting new TV shows and movies coming to every streaming service, and we’ll continue to check them out and let you know what’s worth your time.

Don’t you think it’s been too long since the Barden Bellas graced us with their vocals? The Pitch Perfect movies were some of the best comedies of the 2010s, but since the 2017 threequel, the a cappella group went their separate ways. However, while Anna Kendrick was promoting one of her 2024 movies, she shared some promising thoughts on playing Beca again.

On Thursday, Anna Kendrick attended the premiere of Woman of the Hour, which is her very thrilling directorial debut that will reach those with a Netflix subscription on October 18. While on the red carpet in Los Angeles, Kendrick said this about Pitch Perfect 4:

While speaking to People, Kendrick lit up at the idea of another Pitch Perfect movie being in the works. Kendrick’s positive thoughts about a sequel come after Rebel Wilson said this in May:

As Wilson spoke to, she knows that there’s executives over at Universal who are trying to crack the code on another Pitch Perfect movie after the success of the originals. However, she hadn’t gotten her hands on a script at that time. Kendrick doesn’t sound like she had read anything either based on her response, but she's hopeful that another movie from the comedy franchise could, in fact, happen if Wilson in particular keeps speaking up about it.

When the first movie came out in 2012, it was a huge commercial hit considering it made $115 million against a $17 million budget. The 2015 sequel was even bigger with a worldwide box office haul of $287 million. However, the third movie saw its popularity take a dip with a (still impressive) $185 million haul. According to Wilson, for Pitch Perfect 3, the cast was almost completely replaced with a younger cast and it felt like a “kick in the face.”

Between Wilson and Kendrick showing their interest in more Pitch Perfect, it certainly could be in their futures! Since their time in the movies, much of the cast have reunited a few times over, with Brittany Snow recently telling us she picked the brain of Kendrick in her own recent directorial debut, Parachute. The question likely comes to this: how do the Barden Bellas return when they are no longer in college?

The 2010s were a transformative decade for movies as directors like Damien Chazelle, Greta Gerwig and Jordan Peele hit the mainstream, and many actors exploded into stardom or gave career-defining performances in movies like theirs. Now, it’s time to celebrate some of the best films of this decade and the performers who starred in them. 

Emma Stone – La La Land 

This ode to Old Hollywood and modern romance from Damien Chazelle is widely beloved in part because of Emma Stone's performance. If you go back to reviews for La La Land, you’ll see Stone and Ryan Gosling praised for their work as they played Mia and Sebastian, two aspiring artists who fall in love with each other. Notably, Emma Stone won her first Oscar for the film because of the wonderful performance she gave as the up-and-coming actress. 

Kristen Wiig – Bridesmaids

When it comes to Bridesmaids and all its hilarious lines and gags, we all need to say a collective thank you to Kristen Wiig. Not only did the Saturday Night Live alum lead the stellar ensemble cast of this 2011 flick, but she also wrote the movie with Annie Mumolo, and they got an Oscar nomination for it. 

Mahershala Ali – Moonlight

Moonlight, which famously won Best Picture in 2017, is a coming-of-age film that follows Chiron through three stages of his life, focusing on him exploring his sexuality and identity. In it, Mahershala Ali plays Juan, a man who has a pivotal role in Chiron’s early life. Famously, Ali won his first Oscar for his moving performance in this film. 

Daniel Kaluuya – Get Out

Get Out is considered one of the greatest horror movies of all time, and it marked the directorial debut of Jordan Peele. While this film about the deeply dark turn a trip takes after a white woman brings her Black boyfriend home to meet her family is career-defining for its director – as he’s gone on to become quite the name in the genre – it also marked a major breakout for Daniel Kaluuya who played the film’s lead, Chris. 

Amy Adams – Arrival 

Arrival is unquestionably one of Amy Adams’ best movies, and to this day, folks are still livid that she wasn’t nominated for an Oscar for it. She plays Louise, a linguist assigned to decipher and translate an alien language. However, as Arrival’s ending makes abundantly clear, there’s way more to it than that, and one of the major reasons this movie works is because of Adams’ masterful, emotional and nuanced performance. 

J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

In Whiplash, one of J.K. Simmons’ best films, he plays a brilliant and brutal jazz conductor and instructor named Terence Fletcher. During the film, Miles Teller plays a young drummer named Andrew who is determined to become great, and his intense relationship with Terence and the notion of being the best is what makes Damien Chazelle’s film magnificent. On top of its overall acclaim, Simmons also won an Oscar for his performance.

Hugh Jackman – Logan 

Logan was Hugh Jackman’s last ride as the Wolverine, and it was basically perfect. While he’s returned to the role since in Deadpool and Wolverine, Logan still serves as a wonderful conclusion to the iconic X-Man’s story. It was also a game-changing Marvel film, as it brought a level of grit and intrigue that we hadn’t really seen in a movie from this universe before. 

Ben Affleck – Argo 

Much like Good Will Hunting, Argo marked a major milestone in Ben Affleck’s career. It was one of the films that solidified him as a top-tier director, and on top of that, he also starred in the film about a CIA agent disguised as a producer who goes into Tehran on a mission to save a group of Americans. Oh, also, the film went on to win Best Picture at the Oscars too. 

Jesse Eisenberg — The Social Network

The Social Network cast is stacked, however, it wouldn’t be what it is without Jesse Eisenberg’s performance as Mark Zuckerberg at its center. His nuanced performance which is somehow both collected and chaotic compliments Aaron Sorkin’s fast-talking script perfectly, and he expertly helped build up tension in the film that director David Fincher is known for. All around, that made for a perfect, heart-pounding drama about the rise of Facebook.

Leonardo DiCaprio – The Wolf Of Wall Street  

While Leonardo DiCaprio has a long list of career-defining performances, and he and Martin Scorsese have made many great movies together, you can’t deny that his portrayal of Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street tops that list. 

Brie Larson – Room

The film Room, which is about a mother and her son escaping captivity, is masterfully led by Brie Larson, who plays Ma. Both she and Jacob Tremblay, who played her son Jack, were praised for their performances, and in 2016, the actress won an Oscar for her work. 

Daniel Craig – Knives Out

Now, I know that Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond was still happening in the 2010s. However, an equally important and brilliant role he took on was as detective Benoit Blanc in Rian Johnson’s first whodunnit Knives Out. Now, after leading the cast of Knives Out, Craig has gone on to reprise his role as the Southern detective on multiple occasions, because he loves it and so do we. 

Ryan Gosling – Drive

If you look over Ryan Gosling’s best movies, on one side you’ll find his brilliant comedic films – like Barbie and The Nice Guys – and on the other side, you’ll find his stoic and dramatic performance, like the one he gives in Drive. Put simply, Drive wouldn’t work without the actor’s lead performance, because the entire film hinges on him and his abilities. 

Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool

After years of working to get it made and some well-timed leaked footage, finally, in 2016, Deadpool came out and we got to see Ryan Reynolds in his element as the Merc with a Mouth. 

Casey Affleck – Manchester By The Sea 

In a film about a man returning home to reckon with his past and grief after losing his brother, Casey Affleck gives an emotional and commanding performance. Not only did he win an Oscar for his work in this drama, but it’s also one of the big defining roles of his career. 

Chris Evans – Captain America: The Winter Soldier 

Chris Evans began and ended his tenure as Steve Rogers in the 2010s. While all his outings as the star-spangled man with a plan were excellent, nothing tops his performance as Cap in the political thriller that is the Russo brothers’ Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which is easily one of the best Marvel movies ever made. 

Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel 

Under Wes Anderson’s precise direction, Ralph Fiennes occupied the pastel world of the Grand Budapest Hotel with grace and style. His fast-talking M. Gustave went on quite the adventure in this film, and he won over the hearts of audiences with his quick wit, smooth charm and impeccable work ethic. 

Natalie Portman – Black Swan 

Throwing it back to the beginning of the decade, Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 psychological thriller Black Swan showed us Natalie Portman’s talents in a new light. While she had been on the scene and in big movies for years, this film marked a major milestone in her career as her performance as a tortured ballerina got her an Academy Award. 

Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buys Club

Obviously, for a couple of decades before this, Matthew McConaughey was known and beloved for fun movies like Dazed and Confused and How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days. However, in 2013, Dallas Buyers Club marked a notable shift in his career. Not only did he win an Oscar for this dramatic turn as a man who finds out he has AIDS, but he also went on to star in acclaimed projects like Interstellar and True Detective one year later, cementing himself as a magnificent dramatic actor with serious range. 

Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook

Yes, Jennifer Lawrence leading The Hunger Games cast is one of the biggest triumphs of her career. However, amid all of that, she starred in the beloved dramedy Silver Linings Playbook with Bradley Cooper, and that’s the film for which she won her Oscar. This magnificent film about two people learning to live and thrive through grief and mental illness, is a thoughtful and funny film that Lawrence steals with her amazing performance. 

Brad Pitt – Moneyball 

Moneyball is the story about the general manager of the Oakland A’s using his business savvy and what little money his team had to assemble a rag-tag team of MLB players. Brad Pitt plays said manager, Billy Beane, and I mean it when I say the movie really wouldn’t work without him. He’s at the center of it, and he carries it to victory just like his character did with the A’s.  

Chadwick Boseman – Black Panther 

We sadly lost Chadwick Boseman way too early, however, his legacy will live on forever. This is in part because of his performance as the King of Wakanda, T’Challa. Black Panther was a historic moment in modern movie history, and his incredible take on the titular hero is a big reason why. 

Margot Robbie – I, Tonya 

Before I, Tonya, Margot Robbie was beloved for her supporting and ensemble roles in films like The Wolf of Wall Street and Suicide Squad. However, one of the movies that helped solidify her as both a leading lady and super producer was I, Tonya. She played Tonya Harding and produced the film under the banner of her company LuckyChap – which went on to make films like Barbie and Promising Young Woman. 

Florence Pugh – Midsommar

Florence Pugh exploded onto the scene with the haunting Ari Aster film Midsommar. The movie is now considered one of the best horror movies of all time, and a big reason why is Pugh’s performance. 

Saoirse Ronan – Lady Bird

Talk about a dynamic duo. Greta Gerwig and Saoirse Ronan are a match made in heaven, and that was solidified into fact when the actress played the titular Lady Bird in the director’s breakout film. Not only did fans fall in love with Ronan’s performance as the defiant teenage gal, but she also received wide acclaim and an Oscar nomination for it. Plus, it was the beginning of a glorious partnership between her and Greta Gerwig as they then went on to make Little Women together. 

Timothée Chalamet – Call Me By Your Name

These days, when people think of Timothée Chalamet, they likely think of him as Paul Atreides, the leader of the Dune cast. However, before that (and in a different decade) the film that sprung him into the mainstream was Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name. The deeply romantic and tender coming-of-age drama was led beautifully by Chalamet, and since then he’s taken on more roles that have helped cement him as one of the top-leading men of his generation. 

Anna Kendrick – Pitch Perfect

If you were a kid in 2012 (like I was), odds are you learned the “Cups” song. The movie about college acapella was a phenomenon in the early 2010s, and it served as a big breakout leading role for Anna Kendrick. Not only was she funny as Becca, but everyone also became aware that she had the singing voice of an angel.  

Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years A Slave

Lupita Nyong’o’s first feature film was 12 Years A Slave. Her performance in the movie by Steve McQueen won her an Oscar in 2012 and solidified her as a top-tier dramatic performer. Since then, she’s gone on to star in massive blockbusters like Black Panther and A Quiet Place: Day One. 

Joaquin Phoenix – Joker

There have been many amazing takes on the Joker, and Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck was a totally new one. In Joker, we see the villain’s origin story, and it’s a film that’s unlike any other DC project. The haunting performance ultimately won the actor an Oscar, and he reprised the part again in Joker: Folie à Deux.

Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road

The movie is named after Mad Max, and he’s great, don’t get me wrong, but Furiosa steals the show. Charlize Theron’s performance as the driver in Mad Max: Fury Road is fierce and jaw-dropping, and she’s one of many reasons why George Miller’s movie is considered one of the best action films. 

Michael Cera – Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

You can’t have Scott Pilgrim vs. The World without a perfect Scott Pilgrim and that’s who Michael Cera is. He perfectly played the awkward yet heroic protagonist in Edgar Wright’s beloved film, and to this day, it's considered some of his best work.

Matt Damon – The Martian

This Ridley Scott movie is literally about one man who is stuck on Mars. Yes, there are other people in the film trying to save him. However, overall, The Martian is Matt Damon’s movie. He plays the stranded astronaut and scientist, and the heart, charisma, intelligence and even humor he brings to the space drama is unforgettable. 

All around, the 2010s were full of films that are on their way to becoming all-time classics, and it’s in part thanks to the brilliant actors who starred in them. 

There is a reason Netflix is one of the best streaming services out there, as the platform has been on a roll lately, adding some of the most exciting upcoming horror TV shows and a ton of upcoming horror movies to its already impressive lineup. One of its newest additions, Yellowjackets, a psychological thriller with a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, has fans buzzing with excitement. However, it's another upcoming thriller that's got me even more excited, as Anna Kendrick's directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, is also headed to the streaming service.

For some context, Showtime’s Yellowjackets (which I also can't wait to watch) takes viewers on a dark journey of survival and mystery, and Woman of the Hour, which boasts an impressive 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, dives into the sinister world of a real-life serial killer. Anna Kendrick steps behind the camera for the first time to bring us this chilling true crime thriller about Rodney Alcala, a notorious murderer who managed to charm his way onto the popular TV game show The Dating Game—all while being in the middle of a gruesome killing spree.

Alcala's story is a doozy pulled from the darkest true crime headlines. Imagine a guy with charm for days, a smile that could light up a room, and the kind of quick wit that made him a shoo-in for a date on national TV. Alcala was that guy on The Dating Game in the '70s—the kind of contestant you'd root for... until you find out the horrifying truth.

Enter the 2024 movie schedule's Woman of the Hour, Anna Kendrick's directorial debut, which dives headfirst into this wild tale where Cheryl Bradshaw, an unsuspecting bachelorette, picked Bachelor No. 3, Rodney Alcala, as her match. The twist? This seemingly charming guy was actually a psychopathic serial killer hiding in plain sight. Trust me, if you want a true crime story that’ll send shivers down your spine, this is the one for you.

What makes Woman of the Hour so compelling isn't just its chilling subject matter, but also Anna Kendrick's bold choice to take on such a challenging project for her directorial debut. Known primarily for her roles in comedies and light-hearted dramas, the Pitch Perfect star is making a giant leap into the true crime thriller genre, showcasing her versatility as a filmmaker.

Early buzz indicates that Kendrick isn't just stepping out of her comfort zone; she's also bringing a fresh and sharp perspective to the genre. According to CinemaBlend’s own Corey Chichizola, this film is a “masterclass in tension building.” So, in my opinion, it is shaping up to be the must-watch movie of this Halloween season.

Both Yellowjackets and Woman of the Hour promise to deliver the kind of edge-of-your-seat suspense that keeps viewers coming back for more. So, as excited as I am for the Showtime hit to land on Netflix on October 1, I'm even more eager to see how Anna Kendrick's vision brings the haunting story of Rodney Alcala to life when it premieres on the streamer on October 18th. All you need is a Netflix subscription to enjoy both this fall.

Back in 2018, fans were treated to Paul Feig's A Simple Favor, which is dark comedy/thriller starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick. The movie, which is streaming now with a Netflix subscription, is finally getting a sequel, which has already filmed. My coworker asked Feig about A Simple Favor 2's "Martini twist" and I had no idea there was a big surprise answer.

What we know about A Simple Favor 2 is super limited, but information is slowly trickling out about the forthcoming project. Rather than going to theaters, the movie will be released for those with an Amazon Prime subscription, but it'll still have some familiar faces and plot points. That includes the two protagonists' love for gin martinis. As you can see in the video below, CinemaBlend asked Feig about the movie's signature drinks, and how they'll factor into the sequel. You can see his comments below:

The first movie is arguably one of the best thrillers available on Netflix, so the pressure is on for the team to deliver a similarly delightful romp the second time around. And after A Simple Favor's twist ending, it should be fascinating to see how the story is continued in a new installment... and how many martinis are consumed throughout its mysterious runtime.

In the first movie, Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively's characters first bond over martinis, which becomes an ongoing theme throughout the film. As such, fans were expecting the mysterious sequel to follow suit. Lukily Feig and company are going to provide in a big way, as he told CinemaBlend at San Diego Comic-Con:

Well, my mind is blown. Who exactly could this martini expert be, and how will they factor into the mysterious story of A Simple Favor 2? It's unclear, but it's definitely thrilling that Feig has so many tricks up his sleeve for the project.

During the same conversation at Comic-Con, Paul Feig revealed that A Simple Favor 2 has been testing extremely well, which is another exciting announcement about the mysterious project. During the writer's strike, another draft for the movie was totally thrown out, seemingly because those involved care so deeply about the next installment in the burgeoning franchise. And if the sequel's current cut is teasing so well perhaps that was the right call.

The first Simple Favor movie had twist after twist, so the story could seemingly go anywhere for the sequel. All will be revealed when A Simple Favor 2 is released, presumably sometime in 2025. In the meantime, check out the 2025 movie release dates.

There’s something about the chemistry shared between Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively in the sinister and sexy A Simple Favor that had fans clamoring for more. Released in 2018, Paul Feig’s thriller-comedy found single mother Stephanie (Kendrick) investigating the disappearance of her socialite bestie, Emily (Blake Lively), and digging up way more dirt than anticipated. We loved the movie when it came out, and have delighted in the fact that it has climbed the streaming charts as audiences continued to discover it. We know that the sequel is on its way, and now director Paul Feig has incredible news regarding its performance.

Paul Feig stopped by CinemaBlend’s interview suite at San Diego Comic-Con to discuss his new film Jackpot, which stars Awkwafina, Simu Liu and John Cena in an action-packed comedy that Feig compares to Jackie Chan’s finest works. But in the process, we also took the time to ask Feig about A Simple Favor 2, and learned that it’s already testing through the roof with audiences. Feig told CinemaBlend exclusively:

Well, that’s incredibly encouraging. Especially because, as Paul Feig continued to tell us about the sequel, it sounded like he didn’t like the direction his story was going, and basically threw out what he had. As Feig explained to CinemaBlend regarding sequels (in general), and A Simple Favor 2 specifically:

That sounds terrifying. And yet, based on the feedback that Paul Feig received in the test screenings for A Simple Favor 2, the change in direction worked incredibly well. We pushed Feig for a release date, but he just confirmed that it’ll be an upcoming 2025 release. In the meantime, make sure to prepare for Paul Feig’s Jackpot, which will be available to all of those with an Amazon Prime Video subscription on August 15.

Netflix – and many of the best streaming services for that matter – has the power to give older projects second lives in a big way. Last summer, Suits saw a major resurgence, and now, the streamer has helped a 2018 film find new fans, and it’s come at the perfect time. In this case, Paul Feig’s A Simple Favor has landed in the No. 1 spot on the legacy streamer's Top 10 Movies. Then, on top of this exciting news, he provided a thrilling update about the state of the Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick-led sequel. 

Responding to a fan on X, who had just watched A Simple Favor for the first time, Paul Feig celebrated his film’s success on Netflix with a great update that gives us a bit of insight into A Simple Favor 2. Posting a photo of the streaming service, and the film being at the No. 1 spot, the dapper director wrote:

The sequel to A Simple Favor was announced in May of 2022, and it was confirmed that Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively would be returning to their roles as Stephanie and Emily, respectively, and that Paul Feig would direct it. Now, as the first film finds new fans on Netflix, the Bridesmaids director has confirmed that they wrapped production on the sequel this week, and that it will make its way onto the 2025 movie schedule. 

He didn’t confirm when exactly the film would come out next year, however, it’s thrilling to know that this long-awaited sequel is taking major steps forward. So, while fans have been using a Netflix subscription to catch up with Lively and Kendrick’s characters, they better have their Amazon Prime subscriptions ready next year to see what happens in A Simple Favor 2. 

Considering the ending to A Simple Favor, it seemed like Kendrick and Lively’s characters wouldn’t see each other again. However, it’s been confirmed that the sequel will follow Emily as she marries an Italian businessman. Of course, in the spirit of the original, there will be mystery, intrigue and some thrilling elements as it will feature murder and betrayal. 

How Emily and Stephanie will come back together is unknown, I mean the last time we saw Blake Lively's character she was in prison. However, figuring all that out will be part of the fun when A Simple Favor 2 graces our screens next year. 

While we wait for this exciting sequel, and if you haven’t watched the well-reviewed A Simple Favor, you should hop on the bandwagon and contribute to its No. 1 spot on Netflix. After that, be sure to keep your eyes on the 2024 movie schedule so you can check out Blake Lively and Anna Kendricks’ other projects that are coming out ahead of the highly anticipated A Simple Favor 2.  

Brittany Snow’s latest movie has her behind the camera for the first time for Parachute. The romantic drama about a young woman navigating her life after leaving rehab treatment for her eating disorder debuted at the SXSW Film Festival last month to numerous accolades. Ahead of Parachute’s theatrical release this weekend, CinemaBlend spoke to Snow about her turn to directing and how one of her Pitch Perfect co-stars was involved.

Snow isn’t the first of her Pitch Perfect cast to make the move to directing in recent years. Her co-star Elizabeth Banks actually helmed her first feature film by taking up 2015’s Pitch Perfect 2 before going on to direct action movies like Charlie’s Angels and Cocaine Bear. Additionally, Anna Kendrick showed her first movie as a director, Woman of the Hour, at the Toronto International Film Festival last year (a premiere she had to miss due to the strikes) ahead of its release later this spring. When I asked Brittany Snow if she’s spoken to either of them about taking on the new title, she said this:

Aww, how sweet is it that the Barden Bellas are staying connected?! Pitch Perfect shook the world over a decade ago when the first movie hit theaters in 2012 and became one of the highest-grossing music comedies of all time. Kendrick and Snow would go on to make two more sequels together as Beca and Chloe, concluding the film series back in 2017.

As the Pitch Perfect movies remain some of the best Brittany Snow movies to watch, perhaps a new chapter of her career has just begun with Parachute. The earnest film, which she also wrote and produced, earned Snow the Thunderbird Rising Special Award at SXSW when it premiered at the fest. Parachute stars Yellowjackets’ Courtney Eaton as Riley, who forms a powerful, but complex relationship with Thomas Mann’s Ethan after leaving rehab for her eating disorder and body image struggles. When I asked the new director about the challenges involved in telling the story, she said this:

Along with Eaton and Mann fronting the cast, Parachute also stars the likes of Gina Rodriguez, Dave Bautista, Joel McHale and Kid Cudi. Oh, and there’s one more Pitch Perfect connection to note. Look out for Chrissie Fit, who played Flo in the two Pitch Perfect sequels. We love to see how Brittany Snow enlisted the help and support of the Barden Bellas for her buzzy directorial debut. Parachute hits theaters on April 5 and VOD on April 12.

One of the best vampire movies we’ve seen from Hollywood is the 2008 adaptation of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. The brooding romance became so popular that it spawned four more movies and helped launch the careers of many of the members of the Twilight cast. While the franchise often deals with some major life-and-death situations along with putting a new twist on the mythology of vampires and werewolves, there are many instances where they were surprisingly funny, too. 

"You better hold on tight, spider monkey." - Edward Cullen, Twilight 

One of the most iconic lines in the Twilight saga comes during the first movie not long after Bella Swan officially learns Edward Cullen is a vampire. During one of their dates following Edward being candid about his big secret, he has her go on his back and they do a high-flying jaunt through Forks, Washington’s lush forests. As they get ready to do this, Bella calls her a spider monkey… being the romantic he is, of course. 

“You know, your mood swings are kind of giving me whiplash.” - Bella Swan, Twilight  

When Bella Swan is first getting to know her mysterious lab partner, Edward Cullen, she notices that his mood changes by the day. When she comments on his “mood swings,” she has of course no idea that he’s really a vampire who was sometimes between excursions to feed on animal blood. 

“Bella! Where the hell have you been, loca?”- Jacob Black, New Moon

When Bella Swan deals with an agonizing breakup with Edward Cullen in the second movie, New Moon, she reconnects with her childhood friend, Jacob Black. When he first greets her, he says this memorable line that will likely be quoted to Taylor Lautner for the rest of his life. 

“Get a whiff of that, here comes the human!” - Rosalie Hale, Twilight 

Most people can relate to the anxiety that might accompany introducing one’s date to their parents for the first time. In the case of Bella Swan meeting the Cullens, his vampire mother Esme Cullen could literally smell Bella coming to their home due to the odor from her blood! 

“I vote yes. It would be nice not to want to kill you all the time.” - Jasper, New Moon 

Before Bella Swan becomes a vampire at the end of Breaking Dawn, Part 1, the Cullen family spend a lot of time thinking about whether they are going to allow the teen to be part of their vampire family. During a vote in New Moon, Jasper Hale, who is the newest vampire of the bunch shares he’s very into the idea because as a human he always has thoughts of sucking her sweet, sweet blood. 

“I guess the wolf’s out of the bag.” - Embry Call, New Moon 

In New Moon, Bella Swan learns that Forks, Washington isn’t only the home to a family of vampires but a clan of werewolves, too! Bella first finds out when one of the members of Jacob’s pack gets heated during a conversation with them and transforms into a werewolf in front of her eyes. After the intense moment, one of the members of the pack, Embry Call, quips with this funny line. 

“Bella, what is that god awful wet dog smell?” - Alice Cullen, New Moon 

As the vampires and werewolves of Forks interact throughout the Twilight movies, it’s made pretty apparent that they both don’t like each other much. When Alice Cullen comes back to see Bella after Edward previously broke up with her, she notices right away that she’s been spending a lot of time with werewolves with this quote. 

Jessica Stanley: “Aren’t people from Arizona supposed to be like, really tan?” Bella Swan: “Yeah, maybe that’s why they kicked me out.” - Twilight

Twilight begins with Bella Swan moving to Forks, Washington to live with her father after living in Phoenix, Arizona with her mom for some time. Early in the movie as she is getting to know her classmates, there are quite a few awkward moments, like Anna Kendrick’s Jessica Stanley quipping about how her complexion is rather pale for someone from Arizona. 

"Bella, I hope you've gotten enough sleep these last 18 years. Because you won't be getting anymore for a while!” - Emmett Cullen, Breaking Dawn Part 1

Leave it to the best man to embarrass the bride and groom at the wedding! In Breaking Dawn Part 1 during the couple's lavish backyard reception, Edward's vampire brother offers a toast to the newlyweds by telling Bella he hopes she got "enough sleep." It's of course a reference to her plans to become a vampire, and vampires don't sleep! 

"Could you at least act human? I mean, I've got neighbors." - Bella Swan, Twilight  

Once Edward and Bella have fully talked about his secret identity as a vampire in the first Twilight movie, he starts getting a little show-offy around her while they are hanging out at her front porch. Bella responds with a funny line asking her new boyfriend to at least try to “act human.” 

“Is she even Italian?” - Rosalie Hale, Twilight

If you didn’t know, Bella isn’t just a name, it also means “beautiful” in Italian. So, when Bella Swan met Edward’s family for the first time, they decided to take inspiration by cooking her an Italian dinner in celebration of her name. No, the character isn’t Italian, which Rosalie mentions right before the meeting before smashing a bowl of salad upon their first meeting. 

Yeah, I had an adrenaline rush. It’s very common. You can Google it.” - Edward Cullen, Twilight 

In the early days of Edward and Bella’s relationship, Bella is always questioning and trying to figure him out, especially after he runs over and pushes an entire van from slamming into her early into Twilight. When she probes him about it, he at first simply chalks it up to an “adrenaline rush.” 

“Nessie? You nicknamed my daughter after the Loch Ness monster?” - Bella Swan, Breaking Dawn, Part 2 

And, who can forget Edward and Bella’s creepy vampire baby, Renesmee whom Jacob Black imprints on in Breaking Dawn, Part 2? It was a controversial development in the franchise for sure, but the movie wasn’t afraid to make light of it in one confrontation between Bella and Jacob where he calls her Nessie and the new mother goes berserk on him about it.  

“Doesn’t he own a shirt?” - Edward Cullen, Eclipse  

In order to transform into Jacob Black as a werewolf in New Moon, Taylor Lautner got into crazy good shape for the second movie and so forth. But then the movies became known for Jacob often taking off his shirt on camera. In one scene in Eclipse, Edward jokes about this to Bella by asking if he even owns a shirt. 

"I kissed Bella and she broke her hand. Punching my face. It was a complete misunderstanding." - Jacob Black, Eclipse  

A big part of the Twilight movies was the contention between Edward and Jacob, which Taylor Lautner has shared even spilled into their actual relationship. During Eclipse, Jacob ends up actually kissing Bella while she’s in a relationship with Edward, which leads her to punch him in the face and break her hand because he’s a werewolf. After the incident, Jacob and Edward square off, leading Bella’s dad Charlie to sense the tension and ask what’s wrong. This is how Jacob matter of factly responds and it brings out the comedy of the situation quickly. 

Bella Swan: "So, this party. Will there be strippers?" Edward Cullen: “Just a few mountain lions, a couple grizzly bears.” - Breaking Dawn Part 1 

In the first Breaking Dawn movie, Edward and Bella get married, but before they do Edward is stolen away in the night by his brothers for his bachelor party. Bella asks if he’ll have a typical party involving dancers, but he shares that it will involve mountain lions and grizzly bears instead. He’s fully serious, but it is a bit funny that the night before his wedding he’ll be hanging out with animals instead of going out to bars. 

Bella Swan: “How long have you been 17?” Edward Cullen: "A while..." - Twilight 

During Twilight, Bella Swan finally comes up with the right theory to explain all the wild things going on with her lab partner, Edward Cullen. They meet in the woods and Bella Swan shares that she knows what he is. Before flat out saying “vampire,” she asks him how long he’s been 17 years old. While it’s a serious moment, Edward breaks the tension a bit by simply answering with “a while.” 

“...So you're the wolf girl.” - Bella Swan, New Moon

While Bella Swan is hanging out with Jacob Black in New Moon, she comes across another clan of mythical creatures in his secret werewolf pack. There she meets Emily Young, who is the fiancée to the leader of the pack, Sam Uley. Bella. When she meets Emily she calls her the “vampire girl,” to which she responds with the above line. 

Bella Swan: “Look, you gotta give me some answers.” Edward: “Yes. No. To get to the other side. Uh, 1.77245…” - Twilight 

It’s no secret Robert Pattinson’s Edward Cullen can be rather snarky throughout the Twilight movies, and he definitely is as Bella is trying to figure out his true identity. At one point, Bella flat-out asks for answers. Edward gets sarcastic by giving some common answers to things, especially since he’s not ready to tell her the truth on the subject. 

“I'm nearly one hundred and ten. It's time I settled down.” - Edward Cullen, New Moon 

Throughout most of the Twilight saga, Edward and Bella are contemplating forever as a couple. While Edward starts off rather resistant to the idea of Bella becoming a vampire and being with him for eternity, he does come around to it, quipping that he might as well settle down now that he’s over a century old. 

"Edward will be a good husband. I know this because I'm a cop. I know things. Like how to hunt somebody to the ends of the earth. And I know how to use a gun." - Charlie Swan, Breaking Dawn Part 1 

Billy Burke’s Charlie Swan is one of the highlight characters of the Twilight saga, as he often offsets all the vampire and werewolf drama for a more straight-shooter dad approach. One of his funniest moments comes during his speech at Edward and Bella’s wedding, where he lightly threatens Edward while talking about why he’ll be a good husband. 

"My monkey man." - Rosalie Hale, Twilight  

An especially memorable scene from the first Twilight movie is when Bella is invited to play baseball with the Cullens during a thunderstorm. As Bella witnesses a truly incredible game of the sport as the vampires fly through the air, one moment has Emmett climbing a tree to catch the ball. Rosalie commentates on the moment by calling her lover her “monkey man” in a very loving, but objectively funny way. 

“Let's face it, I am hotter than you.” - Jacob Black, Eclipse 

Ah, the Edward vs. Jacob matchup. Bella’s love triangle between the two boys really fuels the franchise throughout the movies and as the movies continue to unfold, it’s funny to see the two men take digs at each other. One especially good one is when Jacob Black tells Edward he is “hotter” than him, which is actually scientifically true since werewolf temperatures are higher than humans, while vampires are known in the franchise as the “cold ones.” 

How you likin' da rain, girl?" - Mike Newton, Twilight

In the first Twilight movie, Bella being the new girl in high school proves to make her instantly interesting to a number of guys. It makes for some awkward but quite funny moments, including this one where Mike Newton asks her if she likes the rain in a questionable accent as Eric is trying to ask her to prom. Ah, teen boys! 

Eric Yorkie: “La Push, baby… It’s… La Push.” Bella Swan: "Ok, I'll go if you stop saying that." -Twilight

Bella has to hold her own a lot as the new girl in school whom Jessica describes as being like a “shiny toy” to the other guys. In one memorable scene, Eric keeps calling one of the beaches “La Push, baby.” Bella gives a hilarious response back by calling him out, saying she’ll only go with him if he basically stops being annoying. 

Charlie Swan: “Are those graduation caps?” Renée Dwyer: “Ha! How creative” Charlie: “Or, weird.” - Breaking Dawn, Part 1 

In the first Twilight, when Edward shows Bella his gorgeous house, she notices a massive display of graduation caps over the years, since the Cullens have reached the milestones many times before. Then, in Breaking Dawn Part 1, ahead of Bella getting married, her parents notice it. While her mom brushes it off, Charlie hilariously calls out how “weird” it is. 

“Jake, you really do stink.” - Bella Swan, Breaking Dawn, Part 2 

Bella finally becomes a vampire in the last Twilight movie. When she does, she instantly notices how her friend (and werewolf) Jacob Black totally does smell! Prior, all the other vampires had made the same comment, so it’s a great full-circle moment. 

"It's the ... um ... Fluorescence." - Edward Cullen, Twilight

Bella starts to notice something fishy going on with Edward quite early into knowing each other, which totally throws the secret vampire off guard. In one scene, Bella comments on his eyes changing colors from the last time they spoke. Thrown off by the comment, Edward just says it’s the “fluorescence” and storms off. 

Jessica Stanley: "So, you think Bella's gonna be showing?" - Twilight, Breaking Dawn Part 1

When Edward and Bella get married in Breaking Dawn Part 1, her human friends have some funny commentary while attending the picturesque ceremony. What takes the cake is when Jessica asks her friends when they think Bella is showing. She is convinced she is pregnant since she’s getting married at the age of 18. 

"Hello, biceps. You know, anabolic steroids are really bad for you." - Bella Swan, New Moon  

Jacob Black goes through a huge transformation in New Moon as he becomes a werewolf. As Bella Swan notices her friend’s new look, she quips that steroids are really not good for him. Little does she know what’s really going on. But she’ll soon find out. 

“Stop trying to take your clothes off.” - Edward Cullen, Eclipse

Edward and Bella get plenty romantic and steamy throughout the Twilight movies, but in one awkward sequence in Eclipse, Edward straight up asks her to stop taking her clothes off because he doesn’t want to go there yet with their sexual intimacy. It gets to the point he is trying to make, but is bluntly funny as well. 

“Jacob, put your clothes on” - Charlie, Breaking Dawn, Part 2

Another funny quote in Twilight is when Jacob Black strips down in front of Charlie in the forest right before showing him he’s really a werewolf. Charlie has no idea what’s about to happen, so he says this line right before Jacob transforms in front of him to his big surprise. 

Twilight may be a thrilling romance, but all those quotes prove there are so many funny moments throughout the five movies as well! 

January is often a slow time for the box office, and that may lead more people to go searching for what there is to find on streaming platforms when looking for something new to watch. Luckily, this week offers a lot of options as almost every streaming platform has at least one thing worth checking out. There are new movies, new reality series, new episodes of weekly series, and even the first fully bingable Marvel series.

Echo is just one of the highlights of the strreaming week, as the Marvel series will drop all episodes at once, a first for an MCU series. It will be interesting to see how that impacts the streaming service or viewership of the series. But that's far from the only thing of note to watch this week. Here's a look at some of the highlights on the major streaming services this week. 

What's On Netflix

Lift - January 12

F. Gary Gray has been behind some solid action movies including The Italian Job and a Fast & Furious movie, but in Lift Gray will team with Kevin Hart and he’ll leave the stylish cars behind and take to the skies. The new Netflix movie stars Hart as the leader of a team of thieves who get blackmailed by the U.S. government to steal $500 million in gold from a plane mid-flight. The movie so-stars Vincent D’Onofria as a member of Hart’s team and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as the government agent running the heist. The Lift trailer makes the movie look like it could be a lot of fun.  

The Trust: A Game Of Greed - January 10

If reality TV full of interpersonal drama is your thing, then The Trust: A Game of Greed may be your new favorite series. The premise sees 11 strangers given a share of a quarter million dollars, but that’s just the beginning. While all the players could simply do nothing and go home with their share, we can guess that won’t actually happen, as everybody is tested and tempted to vote people off in order to increase what they take home.  

What's On Disney+

Echo - January 9

Echo is a first-of-its-kind series from Marvel Studios in a lot of ways. It’s the first Marvel Studios Spotlight production, a designation that means that, while the show takes place within the MCU, don’t expect its story or characters to have a significant impact on the larger story of Phase 5. This standalone nature is probably a side effect of some of the other ways this one will be different.

It will also be the first new Marvel series to drop all its episodes at once, which will change the way Disney+ subscribers consume this one. More importantly, however, it’s the first Marvel Studios series that will be rated TV-MA. The Echo trailer showed a series that will be a lot more violent than we’re used to seeing. That alone will be worth checking out. 

Bluey - January 12

By this week kids are back in school. But for those kids that are a bit too young for school, or just for anybody who loves incredible television, the final 10 episodes of Bluey Season 3 are set to hit Disney+. You don’t need to be a kid, or a parent of one, to appreciate the incredible humor of Bluey. The fact the show is able to put together hilarious, and often touching, stories that resonate with just about anybody is the magic of Bluey. Also, that theme song is incredibly catchy. And worry not, Season 4 of Bluey is on the way.

What's On Hulu

Self Reliance - January 12

The last time that The Lonely Island teamed up with Hulu, we got the excellent, and perfectly timed, time loop comedy Palm Springs. Now the team is behind Self-Reliance. The movie marks the feature film directorial debut of Jake Johson, who also wrote and stars in the movie. It follows Johnson's character, who is recruited to take part in a reality show where people actively try to kill him, but he wins $1 million if he survives for 30 days. Since he can only be killed if alone, it drives our hero to find some unusual friends. Anna Kendrick and Andy Samberg co-star, the latter playing himself.  

What's On Max

It’s been four years since the last season of HBO’s hit True Detective, and while the series hasn’t always received stellar reviews, each season has been an event in itself. The new season, subtitled Night Country, is set during the endless night of the Alaskan winter and stars Jodie Foster and Kali Reis as the detectives tracking down a missing person. The series will debut on HBO but will also be available with a Max subscription the same day so there will be no wait for those who want to keep up with this one every week.  

What's On Apple TV+

Criminal Record - January 10

Apple TV+ doesn’t have the quantity of new content that other streaming platforms have, so when it does have something original debuting, it’s worth taking note. Criminal Record stars Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo as a pair of London police detectives. Jumbo plays Detective Sergeant June Lenker, who is investigating the possibility that a man who has been in prison for years may not have committed the crime. Capaldi plays the detective of the original case, who is not in favor of his work being reviewed.  The first two episodes of the show hit this week, with future episodes arriving weekly.

What's On Prime Video

Role Play - January 12

If action comedies are your thing there’s going to be something of a battle of them on January 12 the same day that Lift arrives on Netflix, Role Play arrives on Prime Video. Kaley Cuoco plays a wife and mother who happens to be a professional assassin. When her husband, played by David Oyelowo realizes who his wife really is, he tries to help her escape the life, even though that means now everybody is trying to kill her. It looks like a version of Mr. and Mrs. Smith if Mr. Smith had no idea what was going on.

If these new series For a complete look at what’s hitting streaming in January, be sure to check out what’s new on Netflix, as well as everything coming to Disney+ in January 2024. 

Into the Woods has been out for almost ten years now – I think it’s time we check up on the cast. 

As someone known to love musicals, I’ll be among the first to check out where the stars are now. I loved watching Mamma Mia!, and I will gladly tune into anything Amanda Seyfried makes. I may have mixed feelings about the Les Misérables cast, but they are all incredibly talented in many ways. And, of course, I could go on for hours about how much I love the West Side Story cast, too – because they are all so amazing. 

However, one musical cast that I still need to talk about is the Into the Woods ensemble. This was such a huge deal back in 2014 because the line-up of stars that were included in this movie was terrific. Actresses like Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Anna Kendrick led the talent, as did actors like Chris Pine and Billy Magnusson. 

Now, almost ten years later, let’s look at the Into the Woods cast and what they’re up to now. 

Meryl Streep (The Witch)

First up on this list has to be Meryl Streep, who played The Witch in Into the Woods. What can I say about her that hasn’t already been said? The actress is a visionary, an icon in every sense of the word. Honestly, she’s a Hollywood it-girl, and she continues to be. 

Since Into the Woods came out, Streep has appeared in various movies, from dramas to comedies. Some of her best-known hits include The Post, Florence Foster Jenkins, The Laundromat, and Little Women. She was also a part of the Don’t Look Up cast, and she appeared in other films such as the Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, and Let Them All Talk. 

Streep also stepped into the world of television for a bit. Not only did she have a primary role that garnered critical acclaim in the second season of Big Little Lies, but she also had an important role in Season 3 of Only Murders in the Building. She was also a part of the Extrapolations cast. 

When writing this in November 2023, Streep has nothing set up for the future, but come on – it’s Meryl Streep. I’m sure it won’t be long before we see her again in some role that will blow us away. 

Emily Blunt (The Baker’s Wife)

Emily Blunt portrayed the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, the first time I witnessed Blunt’s musical talents. Since then, she has genuinely exploded in Hollywood, even more so than before, appearing in a variety of films that have showcased her acting prowess. 

Just in 2023, she was a part of the Oppenheimer cast, a role that earned her plenty of acclaim from critics and audiences alike. Along with that, she’s had starring roles in movies such as Sicario, The Girl on the Train, The Huntsman: Winter’s War, A Quiet Place and its sequel (which were directed by her husband, John Krasinski), Mary Poppins Returns, Sherlock Gnomes, Pain Hustlers and more. She also appeared alongside Dwayne Johnson in Jungle Cruise. 

Blunt hasn’t done much in television besides a starring role in The English, but truthfully, when someone is that busy with film, I can push that aside. She also has some great stuff set up for her, including her role in The Fall Guy cast and her part in the upcoming film IF. 

James Corden (The Baker)

James Corden has undoubtedly blown up since the release of Into the Woods. Corden is primarily known for his late-night talk show, The Late Late Show with James Corden, but he’s also appeared in various films. 

These include Trolls and Trolls World Tour, The Emoji Movie, Ocean’s 8, Kill Your Friends, The Prom, Cinderella, Cats, and more. He has also hosted the Tony Awards several times, and his series, Carpool Karaoke: The Series, which is a spinoff from a popular segment on his talk show. He will be in a new movie called Animals United 2: The Chilldown. 

Anna Kendrick (Cinderella)

While I already knew who Anna Kendrick was from her time in Pitch Perfect (a film I have watched time and time again), she had an excellent voice for Cinderella in Into the Woods. Since then, Kendrick has starred in a lot of film and TV. 

With films, Kendrick has appeared in both Pitch Perfect 2 and Pitch Perfect 3, as well as movies like Mr. Right, Digging for Fire, The Accountant, Table 19, A Simple Favour, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Alice, Darling, Woman of the Hour and more. She has also played one of the lead roles in all three Trolls movies.

She has appeared on television as well. She had a leading role on one of the best Max original shows, Love Life, and she had a voice role in Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, reprising her role from the hilarious Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. 

Kendrick is set to appear in a new film called Unsound. 

Chris Pine (Cinderella’s Prince)

Chris Pine played Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods, and I still think about “Agony” today. Since then, he has had an incredible career over the past ten years. He continued appearing in Star Trek films, and he had a role in Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman: 1984. 

Aside from that, Pine appeared in films such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, High or Hell Water, A Wrinkle In Time, The Contractor, and more. He also held a starring role in the underrated Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and he played the villain in Disney's Wish. 

Pine also appeared in four episodes of Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later and six episodes of I Am The Night. Coming up, he’ll be in a new movie called Newsflash and should appear in the next Star Trek film, which has been unnamed so far. 

Johnny Depp (Big Bad Wolf)

Johnny Depp portrayed the Big Bad Wolf in Into the Woods, and he was the perfect choice because his vocal range is impressive. Depp has appeared in various movies since the film, including Alice Through the Looking Glass, Murder on the Orient Express, Mortdecai, Black Mass, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, and the Fantastic Beasts movies. 

Depp had a career hold during the trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard, which was very publicized, and already has a Netflix docu-series about it. But he returned with a new film in 2023 called Jeanne du Barry in France. He also had a prominent voice role in the Puffins miniseries. He doesn’t have anything set up yet, but I feel it won’t be long before we see him again. 

Lilla Crawford (Red Riding Hood)

You can’t have the Big Bad Wolf without Red Riding Hood, and Lila Crawford was undoubtedly the person to play her. Famous for taking on the role of Annie on Broadway before Into the Woods, Crawford played the character perfectly and delivered an expert performance. 

Since Into the Woods, she has appeared in two movies, Little Miss Perfect and Sunny Day. But the actress has found much more success in television. Her most significant role thus far has been a recurring part on Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin on Max, but she’s also appeared in shows such as Blue Bloods, The Who Was? Show, and Raven’s Home. She is set to appear in a new TV movie called Fairy Tale Forest. 

Daniel Huttlestone (Jack)

Daniel Huttlestone was another young child actor who got his start on Broadway before Into the Woods, where he played Jack. He portrayed Gavroche in Les Misérables just the year before, and then his role as Jack in Into the Woods further showed his musical talent. 

However, Huttlestone only appeared in a few other films after Into the Woods, including Friday Download, London Town, and The Lost City of Z. Other than that, we haven’t heard much from him in some time.  

Billy Magnussen (Rapunzel’s Prince)

Billy Magnussen was Rapunzel's Prince in Into the Woods, and he did very well after Into the Woods. With films, Magnussen has appeared in several, including Bridge of Spies, Aladdin, No Time To Die, Spy Kids: Armageddon, The Survivor, Game Night, The Many Saints of Newark, The Meddler, Ingrid Goes West, and many more. 

He has also appeared in several TV shows, including The People vs. O.J. Simpson, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Bold Type, Maniac, Tell Me A Story, and Made For Love. Coming up, he’ll be in the new Lilo and Stitch movie, a new series called The Franchise, and another film titled Lift. 

Mackenzie Mauzy (Rapunzel)

Mackenzie Mauzy played Rapunzel in Into the Woods, and since then, she hasn’t done much in film but has appeared in several TV shows. These include Forever, The Good Fight, Gone, and NCIS: New Orleans. Mauzy also appeared in the TV films Girls Night Out and Manson’s Lost Girls. 

Tracey Ullman (Jack’s Mother)

Tracey Ullman portrayed Jack’s Mother in Into the Woods, and she’s appeared in two films since, The Prom and Onward. Ullman has mainly stuck to television, especially with her starring role in The Tracey Ullman Show, but she’s also appeared in series such as Howards End, Mrs. America, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Next up, she’ll be in a new movie called The Actor and a TV show called Never Let Me Go. 

Christine Baranski (Cinderella’s Stepmother)

Last, but not least, we have Christine Baranski, who played Cinderella’s Stepmother in Into the Woods and made me never look at heels the same again. Since this film, she has appeared in movies such as Yellowbird, Trolls, A Bad Moms Christmas, Christmas on the Square, and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, among others. 

Baranski also starred in The Good Fight from 2017 to 2022, and she held a primary role as part of The Gilded Age cast, among several voice roles. She is still co-starring in The Gilded Age during its second season. 

So many stars were a part of the Into the Woods cast, and now I have a million reasons to go and rewatch their movies again. I think it’s time for another Pitch Perfect rewatch; how about you? 

We see it quite often – comedians and comedic actors cut their teeth performing stand-up or appearing on beloved sketch comedy shows before knocking everyone’s socks off with a remarkable and remarkably emotional dramatic role. Sometimes, these earn the actors and actresses Academy Awards or at least their first Oscar nomination for unforgettable performances that make us cry as much as they once made us laugh.

That being said, here are 32 examples of people known for their comedy being great in dramatic roles…

Robin Williams

Even before Robin Williams earned a much-deserved Oscar for his performance in Good Will Hunting, the comedian proved time and time again that he was more than capable when it came to dramatic roles. In fact some of Williams’ best movies like Dead Poets Society and Awakenings showed early on what he could achieve in a less comedic capacity. And let’s not forget his frightening turns in One Hour Photo and Insomnia.

Jim Carrey

After being an almost guaranteed box office draw in the mid 1990s, Jim Carrey showed he was more than just an over-the-top slapstick comedian with roles in The Truman Show and Man on the Moon. However, Carrey’s most notable dramatic turn, and probably his best overall performance can be found in 2004’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Eddie Murphy

For years, Eddie Murphy was well-known for beloved comedic roles in classics like Coming to America, 48 Hrs., and Beverly Hills Cop, but he’s also displayed a more dramatic side over the years. At the top of this list is Dreamgirls, the 2006 musical drama that saw him take on the role of James “Thunder” Early, a performance that should have earned him an Oscar.

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg is an all-time great comedian who has made audiences laugh with her stand-up specials and various film and TV projects for the better part of the past 40 years. During that time, Goldberg has also given us some of the richest and most nuanced dramatic performances like her take on Celie Harris Johnson in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple, which earned her a Golden Globe and numerous other accolades.

Adam Sandler

When he wants, Adam Sandler can stand toe-to-toe with just about any living actor. Though he’s mostly known for his various comedies like Happy Gilmore, The Waterboy, and the Grown Ups movies, let’s not forget his outstanding dramatic performances in Punch-Drunk Love, Reign Over Me, and Uncut Gems. Watching Sandler in the Safdie Brothers’ 2019 crime thriller is like watching a completely different actor.

Steve Carell

Around the same time Steve Carell was making us fall over with laughter with his portrayal as Michael Scott on The Office, he was also giving audiences some of the best dramatic performances in movies like Little Miss Sunshine and Foxcatcher. Even since then, Carell has continued to steal the show with heart-wrenching turns in Beautiful Boy and Last Flag Flying.

Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx made a name for himself as one of the funniest comedians on the planet in the early ‘90s thanks to shows like In Living Color and The Jamie Foxx Show, which he followed up with some truly great movies in the final decade of the 20th century. But in 2004, Foxx showed off his dramatic chops in Michael Mann’s thrilling Collateral and the must-watch music biopic, Ray, a performance that earned him an Oscar.

Aubrey Plaza 

To some, Aubrey Plaza will always be remembered for her hilarious portrayal of April Ludgate on Parks and Recreation, but the comedian has given some commanding dramatic performances over the years as well. Movies like Emily the Criminal and Black Bear, as well as the second season of The White Lotus, have shown she’s a force to be reckoned with.

Melissa McCarthy

Okay, Melissa McCarthy may be one of the funniest comedic actors on the planet right now, but let’s not overlook her gripping portrayal of literary fraudster Lee Israel in 2018’s Can You Ever Forgive Me, a movie that saw her hold her own with Richard E. Grant. That’s not nothing.

Will Ferrell

Though Will Ferrell’s dramatic roles still have the comedian's unique style of humor, his performances in Everything Must Go and Stranger Than Fiction are still worth bringing up. He’s less manic and a tad bit quieter in these two movies, but that charm is still there, which really messes with your head.

Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller has shown over the years that he can do more than play the lovable loser in movies like Meet the Parents, detestable villains in Dodgeball, or caricatures of models in Zoolander. In fact, he’s given quite a few outstanding dramatic performances in everything from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty to the gutting Permanent Midnight.

Mo'Nique

In addition to being a prolific comedian with multiple stand-up specials including The Queens of Comedy, as well as having a lead role on the long-running sitcom, The Parkers, Mo’Nique is also an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA winner thanks to her lights out performance in the 2009 drama film, Precious. 

Bette Midler

Bette Midler has made us laugh ourselves out of our seats countless times over the years, but her performance as Cecilia Bloom in Beaches has been making everyone cry for decades now. It’s impossible to listen to “Wind Beneath My Wings” without thinking of that masterful dramatic turn.

Richard Pryor

Legendary stand-up comedian Richard Pryor had a series of comedies with frequent collaborator Gene Wilder at the height of his career, but the comic also gave a dynamic dramatic performance in Paul Schrader’s 1978 crime film, Blue Collar. The movie, which showed the actor’s range, also featured Harvey Keitel and Yaphet Kotto. Talk about a cast.

Lily Tomlin

Lily Tomlin, an actress who continues to thrive decades into her career, is best known for performances in comedies like 9 to 5, shows like Grace and Frankie, and various stand-up specials and Broadway productions. But Tomlin can also pull off dramatic roles like her Academy Award-nominated performance in Nashville, her feature film debut.

Albert Brooks

Albert Brooks is wonderfully hilarious in movies like Finding Nemo, Broadcast News, and so many others, but his trademark happy-go-lucky and funny sensibility and charm went out the window with his bone-chilling portrayal of Bernie Rose in Drive. Ice cold.

Marlon Wayans

Here’s something wild to think about: Marlon Wayans played the stereotypical stoner Shorty in the parody horror flick Scary Movie and Tyrone in Darren Aronofsky’s devastating drama Requiem for a Dream in the same year. During the latter film’s development, the star of The Wayan Bros., the comedian had to go through five auditions.

Kristen Wiig

Some of Kristen Wiig’s best movies are those that lean more towards the dramatic side of the spectrum, with Mother, The Skeleton Twins, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty all coming to mind. This isn’t to say her comedic work isn’t great, as Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is legitimately one of the funniest movies of the 2020s.

Jason Segel

Jason Segel, through shows like Freaks & Geeks and How I Met Your Mother, has shown time after time that he’s undeniably hilarious. However, through work in movies like The End of the Tour and the 1999 dramedy SLC Punk, the actor has proven he can handle more dramatic performances as good as the rest.

Steve Martin

On top of being the all-time best SNL host, Steve Martin is also one of the most prolific actors of our time. But in addition to all of that, the actor, writer, musician, and what we can assume is a generally good hang, Martin can also pull off more dramatic roles. This can best be seen in the 2005 romantic drama, Shopgirl, which was based on one of his novellas.

Maya Rudolph

Two years after her Saturday Night Live tenure came to an end, Maya Rudolph gave a passionate and beautiful performance in Sam Mendes’ 2009 dramedy, Away We Go. The role, which saw her play the pregnant wife trying to find a place to settle down, allowed the comedic actress to play a more grounded, and sincere character.

Goldie Hawn

In 1991, Goldie Hawn took on the role of Adrienne Saunders in Damian Harris’ psychological thriller, Deceived, which saw her play the wife of the manipulative Frank Sullivan (John Heard in a devilish role). Though the movie wasn’t all that well-received, Hawn was still masterful in it, showing a great deal of range in the process.

Seth Rogen

Seth Rogen has given one wonderfully funny performance after another for nearly the past quarter-century, but the actor and writer behind movies like Superbad and Pineapple Express can handle his own when it comes to drama. Danny Boyle’s 2015 biopic, Steve Jobs, saw the comedian portray Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, which required him to go head-to-head with Michael Fassbender’s tech CEO in some extremely intense scenes.

Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart made the jump to serious drama in The Upside in 2019, an English remake of the french film, The Intouchables. However, this wouldn’t be a one and done type situation for the comedian. He would give another emotional performance in the 2021 Netflix drama, Fatherhood, in which he played a widower trying to raise his daughter in the wake of his wife’s sudden passing.

Jack Black

After dipping his toes in the drama waters with his charming performance in The Holiday, Jack Black played his darkest role yet in the 2011 crime biopic, Bernie. In Richard Linklater’s movie, Black took on the role of mortician Bernhardt “Bernie” Tiede, who was later convicted of murdering his friend and millionaire Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLane). 

Anna Kendrick

Anna Kendrick is best known for her starring roles in musical comedies like the Pitch Perfect franchise and the Trolls animated movies, but the comedic actress has also given commanding dramatic performances. This includes the likes of Up in the Air, 50/50, Alice Darling, and A Simple Favor, all of which show her dynamic range.

Awkwafina

If you look at Awkwafina’s best movies, you’ll see a lot of great comedies like Crazy Rich Asians, Ocean’s Eight, and Quiz Lady. However, you’ll also find Lulu Wang’s 2019 drama, The Farewell, which saw the comedian pull off a whole range of emotions throughout its story. In fact, she even won a Golden Globe for her performance.

John Lithgow

John Lithgow has had a remarkable career full of great comedies, including 3rd Rock from the Sun and Shrek, but he’s also given some impressive dramatic performances throughout his career. Be it shows like Dexter and The Crown or a list of movies that includes Killers of the Flower Moon, Terms of Endearment, and Interstellar, the decorated actor has always been able to pull off some impressive feats.

Jerry Lewis

One-half of Martin and Lewis with Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis was one of the funniest names in show business throughout his career, be it with his Vegas shows or various movies like The Nutty Professor and The Ladies Man. But Lewis also gave a terrific dramatic performance in Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy, which saw the legendary comedian play a late night TV host kidnapped by an obsessed fan (played by Robert De Niro).

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston will always be remembered for her take on Rachel Green in the landmark sitcom, Friends, but the actress has since taken on some rather dramatic roles that worked quite well. One of the most notable is the 2014 drama, Cake, which saw Aniston take on the role of a woman coming to terms with the death of her son.

Jonah Hill

Jonah Hill spent the better part of the 2000s appearing in comedies like Superbad, Grandma’s Boy, and Accepted, but he started to take more dramatic roles in the 2010s. One of the most promising was his part in 2011’s Moneyball, which saw him play Billy Beane’s (Brad Pitt) incredibly intelligent (and sometimes awkward) assistant to great effect.

Steve Coogan

Steve Coogan is lights out in comedies like the Night at the Museum movies and Tropic Thunder, but he was equally as good in the 2013 drama film, Philomena, which saw him take on the role of a journalist helping a woman (played by Judi Dench) track down the son she was force to give up for adoption decades earlier.

Each of these comedians found a way to turn audience expectations on their head and give us some all-time great dramatic performances. It’s safe to say we’ll never forget some of these beloved, and wonderfully emotional roles and the people who brought them to life.

*Sigh* Alright. Here we go again because I rewatched one of my favorite movie musicals – Into the Woods – as an adult now, and boy, do I have thoughts. 

This isn't my first time in the musical rewatch rodeo. I'll be honest and say I freaking love movie musicals, from classic movie musicals to modern ones. I used to dig them so much as a kid because I loved to sing, dance and watch movies – how can you get any better than a movie musical? Some of my favorites have been both Mamma Mia! and Hairspray. I even rewatched Mamma Mia! and had so many thoughts.

But there are some movie musicals that, as I've gotten older, I've learned aren't the best adaptations of the stage productions they are based on. Les Misérables, for example, is one that I used to love as a child, but I watched Les Mis as an adult for the first time, and my opinion completely changed. 

I started to think – if my opinion could change for Les Misérables, because I know more about stage production now, could it change for other movie musicals that I used to adore? So I decided to put this question into practice by rewatching Into the Woods, the movie musical starring Meryl Streep that was released nearly ten years ago. And now, of course, I better understand what the musical is supposed to be like. 

And oh boy. We have to talk. 

I Still Believe That Meryl Streep Is The Best Part Of This Movie, That Hasn't Changed

Meryl Streep is a gift to this world; we must protect her at all costs. 

I've been a massive fan of Meryl Streep for a long time. I mean, who isn't? She's probably one of the biggest stars on the planet, and she has been nominated for over 20 Oscars, talk about impressive! 

She's skillful in her craft. And she's a star, from the best Meryl Streep movies to her parts in TV shows. 

That doesn't change for her role in Into the Woods. While there are other casting choices I'll get into in a bit, Streep was probably the best person for the Witch. She's a brilliant actress, and she can portray the being from the stage production very well. Obviously, she also has a great voice, a dramatic one that booms off the screen. I'll fully listen to her "Last Midnight" recording in my car as I drive. 

But I Can Not Stand Most Of These Casting Choices Now

Man, who cast this movie? It was like after Streep was cast, it was a downhill slide or even a nosedive. Alright, maybe that's a bit harsh, but when you look at the casting choices for some of these characters, they don't make sense and don't fit. 

For example – Anna Kendrick. I love her. There are so many great Anna Kendrick movies out there, and low and behold, I love the film Pitch Perfect and will fully rewatch it any time. However, something about her does not scream Cinderella. 

When I think of Cinderella, I think of someone who is bubbly and peppy and while I've seen Kendrick do that, I don't think that she fully takes on the role of Cinderella. It doesn't feel like I'm watching a character -- rather, it feels like I'm seeing Anna Kendrick dress up in costume instead of becoming Cinderella. 

Also, I know that James Corden has done theater work, but him as the Baker does not sit well with me. Again, the Baker is such a serious character in the stage production, as he would do anything to help his family. I look at James Corden, and I see him so much more as a comedic actor rather than someone who can portray the raw and dark moments that the show has. 

To be honest, I could think of many other musical actors that could have done an excellent job. I'm not entirely sure why Corden was the pick. Either way, I don't know where the casting went off the rails. 

The Music Is Relatively Still Well-Done

So I'll praise the film and say I still enjoy the music. I remember when I first heard the soundtrack to the movie, I was enthralled with it, and I instantly downloaded the entire score and soundtrack when I got home. 

I listened to it nonstop for a good few weeks before it wound up mixed in with all my other music on shuffle. But, even today, I'll take a moment to belt out "Last Midnight" or "Any Moment" or even the freaking prologue, because it's well done, I'll admit it. 

But There Are Also Some Songs From The Stage Production That Were Removed For Some Reason, And Other Changes

Even though the music is well-executed, I still need to figure out how I feel about the movie altering or outright removing several pieces. The film omitted several reprises and other songs. While I understand the need to keep the runtime reasonable, they could have included these songs if they wanted.

"Ever After" served as the Act 1 finale in the original production, setting the stage for Act 2 and propelling the entire story forward. However, it was left out of the film, and it turned into an instrumental piece. Another song that was cut was the reprise of "Agony." The same thing happened to "No More," which was also turned into an instrumental piece rather than a performance. 

It almost felt like the situation with Mulan, where they cut the songs from the live-action adaptation, even though the music was an integral part of what made the original movie exceptional.

This Is Also Way Lighter Than The Musical, Which I'm Not A Fan Of

As a teenager, I didn't know how dark the original musical was, but I wanted to see an accurate version of this story where everything dark in the stage production happens in the movie. 

The stage musical of Into the Woods has so many dark moments, from the Baker's Wife getting squashed by the giant to Rapunzel turning mad and also getting killed, to so much more, not only did it add intensity to the production but it added stakes -- which the film severely lacked. 

I'm not sure if it's because Disney distributed and made the film, so they felt that they had to cut the darkness down to appeal to a broader audience, but man, the movie we could have had would be a fantasy film for the ages. 

Also, Where's The Narrator?

So, the narrator of the stage production is who we rely on to keep us on track with the story if we need to catch up in any way. We should be paying attention, but with a story like Into the Woods, it can take a lot of work to navigate all the different levels to determine where we are and the time frame. That's why the narrator is there to aid us. 

The movie completely abandons this. Why? I'm not sure. The narrator plays an essential role in the stage production, and, shockingly, he's omitted from the movie adaptation. The narrator is a distinctively "theater" element, but they are also well-established in movies, so it's unclear why they chose to discontinue this practice.

I Still Enjoyed The Movie, But It's Not My Favorite Anymore

I still enjoy watching this movie. It's an entertaining musical with plenty of incredible scenery and good music, and the visual effects are pretty fun to watch. The acting from Streep is astonishing, as always, and she was very deserving of that Academy Award nomination. 

But this movie now sits behind a lot of other films. I wouldn't consider myself a theater person by any means, but I will say that having a better understanding – and appreciation – of the stage production opened my eyes to this movie and why many people who love the original musical aren't big fans of it. 

Do I still like it? Of course. But I don't think it's up there with my favorites anymore – I think I'll place it behind many other great ones. 

Plenty of great movie musicals are out there, but I just needed to talk about Into the Woods to get my thoughts and feelings out. Either way, it's time to use my Disney+ subscription, have a Disney movie musical marathon and get the karaoke machine out to sing along. 

Actress Anna Kendrick has been a working film actress from an early age, where she debuted in the cult classic musical dramedy Camp. Since then she’s starred in blockbusters and indies alike, notably getting an Academy Award nomination for her performance opposite George Clooney in Up in the Air. She recently began the next stage of her career, getting behind the camera directing the upcoming drama thriller Woman of the Hour. And Kendrick has once again hit out of the park, as her directorial debut is a triumphant masterclass in tension. I’m still biting my nails as a result.

While Woman of the Hour doesn’t have a wide theatrical release date just yet, it recently had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. She previously debuted her drama Alice, Darling at least year’s festival. While Anna Kendrick admitted he was “heartbroken” she couldn't be at said premiere due to the ongoing strikes, the work speaks for itself. I had a chance to catch an early screening, where I was impressed with the way she built tension in the movie and expertly crafted a non-linear narrative that pays off by the end of its brisk 94-minute runtime.

Woman of the Hour is inspired by a true story, about serial killer Rodney Alcala. Prior to his incarceration he appeared on The Dating Game, resulting in him being named “The Dating Game Killer.” The movie largely follows the taping of that show, while also chronicling some of his murders throughout the years.

In addition to directing the chilling drama, Anna Kendrick stars in Woman of the Hour as Cheryl Bradshaw, the woman deciding between three eligible bachelors on The Dating Game, including Alcala (played by Daniel Zovatto.) Cheryl is an aspiring actress hoping to get exposure by appearing on the hit show, unwittingly being paired with a serial killer in the process. As we follow her preparing and filming the show, the story is intercut with vignettes of Alcala manipulating and murdering women throughout the years. 

These two stories perfectly intertwine as the movie’s tension builds, and I personally grew more and more concerned for Cheryl. Kendrick’s pacing for the movie pitch perfect (pun intended), balancing funny moments from the TV show’s filming process with grisly murders. When Cheryl and Rodney end up spending time together, background noise and music stops, allowing for chilling silence and dread to accompany their interaction. I found myself chewing on my nails and pen as anxiety grew and the movie’s ingénue was put into danger.

The non-linear storytelling ends up paying off big in the movie’s third act, which I won’t spoil for those excited to see Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut for themselves. And besides the two leading actors, Woman of the Hour also features great performances by Tony Hale, Kathryn Gallgher, Nicolette Robinson, and Autumn Best. The latter nearly steals the show, despite somewhat limited screen time.

Woman of the Hour’s wide release date is currently TBD. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

On Friday, at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival, Anna Kendrick reached a major milestone in her career when her directorial debut, the thriller Woman of the Hour, premiered. However, it’s a moment that the actress unfortunately could not attend and experience for herself due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA actors strike. As the movie found its first audience, a letter penned by Kendrick, who also stars in the film, was read that shared her disappointment over her absence. 

During the TIFF premiere for Woman Of The Hour, which tells the story of American serial killer Rodney Alcala, one of the movie’s producers read a statement from Kendrick explaining her thoughts about missing the festival. In her words (via People): 

Woman of the Hour is one of many 2023 new movie releases that are being gravely affected by the fact that actors cannot promote their movies right now during the SAG-AFTRA strike as they fight for their demands to be met by Hollywood studios. Anna Kendrick joins other talents like Bradley Cooper and Chris Pine, all of whom are directing and starring in their own features and cannot attend film festivals to talk about the work they spent their blood, sweat and tears on often across years of their lives. Kendrick also said this: 

SAG-AFTRA actors' strike was called on July 14, making the day of the Woman of the Hour premiere the two-month mark since actors have been striking. The 2023 WGA writers strike has gone on even longer, considering it was called on May 1. Both Hollywood strikes have greatly stalled movie and TV productions, along with the promotion of releases like Woman of the Hour, including at film festival premieres. 

Though if you see other actors promoting their movies at film festivals, there are instances of interim agreements being made that allow some actors to work during the strike. For example, Jessica Chastian attended a press conference for her new movie Memory after an exemption was made, and she spoke bluntly about feeling “incredibly nervous” about doing so amidst the situation in Hollywood. During the conference, Chastian spoke out to SAG-AFTRA’s cause in solidarity with the union. 

We can’t imagine how frustrating it might be for filmmakers like Anna Kendrick to not be able to be there for their movie as the strikes rage on. (No wonder more and more movies are shifting their release dates.) Either way, congrats to Anna Kendrick for her directorial debut! We can’t wait to see it. 

Every once in a while, there is a movie that truly changes a generation and brings us a cast that is the definition of star-studded. You can’t help but look back on it and wonder, “How were there so many stars in this movie?” Well, friends, I’m here to bring you back to a movie that released in 2010 that had exactly that – Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. 

The film didn’t do so well at the box office, but ended up becoming a cult classic, so much so that it was announced in 2023 that there would be an anime adaptation of the popular graphic novel series, but using the exact same cast from the film. But, where is the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World cast now? And what are they doing? With a cast full of stars, this is what they’ve been up to – and what you can catch them in. 

And, let me just say here – every single one of these actors is going to be in the upcoming Scott Pilgrim vs. The World anime that is coming out, and reprising their roles, which is awesome.

Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim)

First up on the list is Michael Cera, who portrayed the titular character in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Cera has been in many movies and television shows since his big appearance in the adaptation, and you’ve most likely seen him somewhere. Besides continuing his main role Arrested Development, Cera also had parts in shows such as Burning Love, Drunk History, and Life and Beth. 

In terms of movies, he’s appeared in several comedies, including This Is The End, Magic Magic, The Lego Batman Movie, Sausage Party (which is getting a spinoff series) and more. Coming up, he’s going to be in Barbie, as well as a film called Dream Scenario.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Ramona Flowers)

Next up, we have Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who portrayed Ramona Flowers. Winstead has had quite the career since her role in the cult classic. Some of her biggest movies thus far include 2011’s The Thing, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, The Spectacular Now, 10 Cloverfield Lane, All About Nina, Birds of Prey, and Kate, and coming up, she’s going to have a role in a new film called Moscow. 

She’s also had roles in television as well, including parts in The Returned, Brain Dead and Mercy Street. 

Kieran Culkin (Wallace Wells)

Kieran Culkin played Wallace Wells, and I’m pretty sure you’ve been hearing his name a lot lately, largely for his main role on the hit HBO show, Succession, for which he’s received critical acclaim. However, Culkin has done plenty more in movies and TV. 

With films, he’s been in Movie 43, Quitters, Infinity Baby and No Sudden Move, but on television, he also had a main role in Fargo in Season 4, as well as a big part in Go Fish. He also had a guest role in the hilarious Hulu comedy, Solar Opposites. Soon, he’s going to be in a new movie called A Real Pain. 

Chris Evans (Lucas Lee)

Chris Evans exploded onto the scene after his role as Lucas Lee in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. While he was known for his appearances in teen comedies beforehand, after this film he took on the mantle of Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which he held onto for almost a decade.

Besides that, he’s also appeared in films such as the hit Knives Out, Snowpiercer, Lightyear, The Gray Man on Netflix, Gifted, 2023’s Ghosted and more. He was also one of the leads in the Apple TV+ series, Defending Jacob.

Coming up, he’s going to be in Red One alongside Dwayne Johnson, and Pain Hustlers.

Anna Kendrick (Stacey Pilgrim)

Another star who blew up after Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was Anna Kendrick, who plays Stacey Pilgrim. Kendrick received a lot of acclaim for her lead role in the Pitch Perfect movie franchise, but has also appeared in films such as the last of the Twilight movies, ParaNorman, End of Watch, Life After Beth, A Simple Favour alongside Blake Lively, Alice, Darling and more. She also has one of the lead roles in the Trolls movie franchise. 

Besides movies, Kendrick has also had plenty of time on television. Not only has she hosted SNL, but she was the main star of Season 1 of Love Life, an awesome HBO Max original show that you should really watch if given the chance. Soon, she’s going to be in the next Trolls movie, Trolls Band Together, and a new movie called The Dating Game. 

Brie Larson (Natalie V. "Envy" Adams)

See what I told you, when there’s just been star after star? Brie Larson played Envy Adams and continued to shine on with even bigger roles right after. She took on the part of Captain Marvel in the MCU, and is going to be playing her again in the upcoming film, The Marvels. 

Aside from that, Larson has appeared in movies such as 21 Jump Street, Don Jon, The Spectacular Now, The Gambler, The Glass Castle and Basmati Blues. She also had a recurring guest role on Community. Aside from that, she also had a starring role in Room, a film which won her the Academy Award for Best Actress. 

Coming up, she’s also going to be in Fast X, as well as an Apple TV+ series called Lessons in Chemistry.

Alison Pill (Kim Pine)

Moving on, Alison Pill played Kim Pine in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and she’s been in several films since her appearance in the cult classic. These include, but aren’t limited to, Midnight in Paris, Goon and its sequel, To Rome With Love, Zom, Hail, Caesar!, Miss Sloane, Vice, and All My Puny Sorrows. 

In terms of television, she’s had main roles in shows such as The Newsroom, The Family, Devs alongside Nick Offerman, Them on Amazon Prime, Hello Tomorrow!, and was in the first two seasons of Star Trek: Picard. Coming up, Pill is going to be in a new movie called Eric Larau, so keep an eye out for that. 

Aubrey Plaza (Julie Powers)

Next up on the list, we have Aubrey Plaza, who played Julie Powers in the movie. The star blew up after the film thanks to her big role in the Parks and Recreation cast, but she’s also had big parts in movies and other television shows since then. 

Plaza’s main movies that she had done so far are 10 Years, the English dub of From Up on Poppy Hill, The End of Love, The To Do List, Monsters University, Addicted to Fresno, Dirty Grandma, Life After Beth, the reboot of Child’s Play, Happiest Season, Emily the Criminal on Netflix, Spin Me Round, and Safety Not Guaranteed, among others. 

The actress also had a voice role in the Nickelodeon show, The Legend of Korra, a role in Legion, and was a part of the Season 2 cast of The White Lotus. Coming up, she’ll be in Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Olga Dies Dreaming and a film called Megalopolis.

Brandon Routh (Todd Ingram)

Next up is Brandon Routh, who played Todd Ingram in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Some of the films he’s been in include Crooked Arrows, 400 Days, Lost in the Pacific, and Anastasia: Once Upon a Time. 

On television, Routh had a pretty prominent role in CW’s Arrowverse as The Atom, and appeared on many of the shows, but other than that, he also guest-starred in many other television series as well. Coming up, he’s going to be in the Magic: The Gathering television series, as well as a movie called The Redeemer. 

Jason Schwartzman (Gideon "G-Man" Graves)

Jason Schwartzman portrayed Gideon “G-Man” Graves in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and has truly made a name for himself after the film. He’s appeared in several Wes Anderson films, including The Grand Budapest Hotel, The French Dispatch, and Isle of Dogs. Other than that, he’s appeared in movies such as Saving Mr. Banks, Moonrise Kingdom, Wine Country, Klaus, Sing 2, The Overnight and more. 

In television, he had a main role in Mozart in the Jungle, as well as leading Bored to Death and having a main part in Fargo Season 4. Coming up, he will also appear in Megalopolis, but will also be in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, both Spider-Verse sequels, and Asteroid City. 

Johnny Simmons ("Young" Neil Nordegraf)

Johnny Simmons played Neil Nordegraf, and has been in multiple movies and TV shows since his role in the cult classic. Movies include The Perks of Being A Wallflower, Whiplash, 21 Jump Street, The To Do List, The Late Bloomer, and more. In television, he appeared in the show Klondike, and had a main role in Girlboss. 

Mark Webber (Stephen Stills)

Moving on, we take a look at Mark Webber, who played Stephen Stills in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. In films, he’s been in movies such as The End of Love, Laggies, Uncanny, Green Room, Antibirth, Flesh and Blood, and Clover. He also had a guest role on the TV show SMILF, and appeared in The Gift of the Magi. He’s soon going to be in a movie called Trigger Warning. 

Mae Whitman (Roxanne "Roxy" Richter)

Mae Whitman played Roxanne Richter in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and has had quite the career since her role in the movie. She’s appeared in films such as The Perks of Being A Wallflower, The Duff, CHiPs, Freaks of Nature, and more, and also did voice roles for the Tinker Bell movie franchise and the English dub for The Wind Rises, a Hayao Miyazaki movie. 

In TV, she had a main role on Parenthood, a guest role on Drunk History, a leading part on Good Girls, and had a voice role on the underrated The Owl House. 

Ellen Wong (Knives Chau)

Ellen Wong played Knives Chau, and has since appeared in films such as Silent Knight, The Voice, The Circle, In The Life of Music, Best Sellers and more. She’s also had big roles in shows such as Combat Hospital, The Carrie Diaries, and a recurring role in GLOW on Netflix. 

Satya Bhabha (Matthew Patel)

Last but not least is Satya Bhabha, who played Matthew Patel in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. He’s appeared in movies such as Midnight’s Children, Change in the Air, The F**k-It List and more. He also had a recurring role on New Girl, as well as Sense8, and a part in the rebooted Gossip Girl. 

There are truly so many stars here and I for one can’t wait to hear all their wonderful voices again in the upcoming anime – and now I might just have some new movies and TV shows to watch or look forward to. It’s going to be a fun ride. 

Twilight didn’t only catapult the careers of Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, the franchise also gave Anna Kendrick a high-profile role earlier in her career -- even if Bella’s snarky human friend had a small part to play. The actress, who was part of four out of five Twlight movies, recently recalled one big scene in the series she felt Stewart made much better. In fact, Kendrick confessed she wasn't helping much at all.  

She has been candid about being part of the Twilight cast before, previously calling it  “the world's most ridiculous day job” since the franchise paid for her room and board with her minimal role while she did the movies for “no money.” She’s also jokingly likened it to surviving a “hostage situation” due to the cold Oregon temperatures the whole cast bonded over. The latest from the actress regarding her time on the Twilight saga was her recalling shooting that graduation speech scene from Eclipse. In her own words: 

Kendrick is referring to the scene in the third Twilight movie where the character of Jessica brings her personality to a high school graduation speech for which Bella Swan and her vampire friends are in attendance. She continued talking about it: 

While the actress wasn’t too impressed with herself in the big and emotional scene, she felt like K-Stew really came through with her performance that made audiences believe in what Jessica was saying. Anna Kendrick rewatched the scene in Eclipse while looking back on notable scenes throughout her career with Vanity Fair. 

The scene was an emotional one in the film because it came as Bella Swan was making the difficult decision as far as her life after graduation. Did she want to remain a normal human or stay with her vampire boyfriend, Edward Cullen, and remain young (and bloodthirsty) forever? Fans of the franchise know she chose the latter, but not before having a wild honeymoon that left her pregnant with a vampire baby that her werewolf best friend falls in love with.  

Anyway, along with Anna Kendrick going down memory lane regarding Twilight, the actress also spoke to how her famous Pitch Perfect cups scene came together and reminisced about working with Edgar Wright on the modern classic Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. The actress’ most recent movie was the tense drama Alice, Darling, where she delivers a career-best performance. 

Coming up next in the 2023 movie release schedule for the actress is Trolls 3, where she’ll reprise her voice role as Princess Poppy. Additionally, Anna Kendrick is getting ready to do her directorial debut for the crime drama The Dating Game.  

When you think of Anna Kendrick and Pitch Perfect, the song “Cups (When I'm Gone" automatically comes to mind. The song was a viral hit before that was a thing and became a Top 10 Billboard hit in the process. Of course, the key to the song’s success was Beca Mitchell showcasing her acapella cup routine. While the iconic scene looked easy to achieve, there was a lot to finding the right cup for the moment. Kendrick admitted she and Pitch Perfect’s director stole a bunch of cups so they could get the scene just right.

The Pitch Perfect alum gave a peek into what went into the “When I’m Gone” scene to make it perfect. Fitting the right cup came down to Kendrick and director Jason Moore being regular sticky fingers. The Oscar-nominated actress spilled to Vanity Fair about why finding the perfect cup was needed to nail the final scene:

While the cup was the key, there was one question that arose during pre-production – how do you justify having a cup there for Beca to use? Kendrick opened up about how the audition cup came into play for the pivotal scene.

Coming off the success of the Twilight franchise, Anna Kendrick went into her Pitch Perfect audition not being sure about the film’s musical elements. However, things came together when she did the first movie’s signature routine. The TV and film actress admitted knowing the song and routine before auditioning for the acapella comedy. It was her idea to perform the act instead of the original audition piece “I’m a Little Teapot.” Her last-minute audition change-up worked in Kendrick’s favor, as she scored the role. Not only that, but she also impressed Moore and producers enough to put the full routine in the movie.

Even though the “Cups (When I’m Gone)” scene became a cultural sensation despite some annoyance from some fans, Kendrick didn’t think the signature scene would become the instant classic it is now. Even after recording the track she was still unsure it would be a success. Kendrick admitted she had “egg on” her face after the song took off.

The cup scene helped to make the first Pitch Perfect movie a cultural phenomenon and a box-office success. That success translated to two sequels and a spinoff streaming series with Adam Devine’s Bumper. A decade after the original film was released, the Pitch Perfect cast has continued to flourish and remained tight with each other since then.

If you want to revisit the moment Beca Mitchell secured her spot on the Barden Bellas, check out Pitch Perfect through an active Hulu subscription. Once you’re done, watch Pitch Perfect 2, which is also available on Hulu, and Pitch Perfect 3 can be rented/bought through an Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Press tours are no longer about simply answering questions anymore. There are so many unique TV, online and radio shows that put actors through interesting experiences for our entertainment. Anna Kendrick has certainly been a part of plenty throughout her career, between her late night appearances, one recent film festival attendance that left her accidentally stuck in an elevator and so forth. The Pitch Perfect and Twilight actress recently spoke to some of the especially tough parts of that element of the job. 

Ironically enough, Anna Kendrick was being treated to “the wings of death” on Hot Ones when she shared what it’s like to do some of the massive press tours she’s done over the years. As the actress shared:  

David Letterman has long been among the most respected names in late night, having his own slot on TV from the ‘80s to 2015, when he decided to retire. Letterman has since returned in the form of his excellent and more intimate Netflix series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman. As Anna Kendrick revealed, many actors are very intimidated by the host, and she would save her best stories for his show. Kendrick continued: 

The appearance Kendrick is referring to is the BBC Radio 1 radio segment “AlphabetiCALL” where actors prank call businesses and are challenged to start every new sentence with the next letter of the alphabet. Check out Kendrick and Justin Timberlake’s 2016 appearance here: 

You can tell Anna Kendrick is super stressed about the whole thing, telling the host ”please don’t make me do that” before calling a toy store to complete the challenge. In the video, Kendrick absolutely kills it, doing a better job than her Trolls co-star, but she shared it made her “feel like an ass” because she felt like she was wasting the worker’s time. Tons of other actors have done BBC’s “AlphabetiCALL” like Chris Pratt, Jason Momoa, Daniel Radcliffe and Will Arnett, and it is super fun to watch them all prank random businesses. As Kendrick shared, she was actually “really stressed” about doing the whole thing, but because Timberlake said yes, she followed his lead. 

Anna Kendrick’s latest movie is Alice, Darling, which has been hailed a career-best performance by CinemaBlend when we caught the movie at TIFF. Looking forward, Kendrick will reprise her voice role as Poppy in the third Trolls movie, which is among the 2023 movie release schedule for November 17. Kendrick has also announced her directorial debut with a thriller called The Dating Game. We often watch some of the press tour offerings for fun, but as Kendrick shed light on, they can sometimes be quite stressful for actors. 

When the Twilight movie franchise began in 2008, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson were considered incredibly bankable stars at the time, and Taylor Lautner reached a whole new fanbase outside of Sharkboy and Lavagirl. But it’s been eleven years since the series' final installment hit theaters and, in that time, many have become more self-aware of the movies' campy qualities. Anna Kendrick is also more than aware of this vibe, the star actually cracks up at the idea of she and her former co-stars going from total heartthrobs to “the butt of every joke.”

Before the young adult-aimed film series, Anna Kendrick mostly starred in independent films like Rocket Science and Camp. While she may not have achieved the same level of fame as her Twilight co-stars did around the time the movies came out, they still helped to increase her notoriety. She spoke with Rolling Stone about how she figured into all of that buzz over a decade ago:

In the movies, the actress played the role of Jessica, one of Bella’s high school chums.  Though the character was visible throughout the duration of the saga, she was more of a supporting player in the proceedings. That fact surely contributed to the specific level of attention that the Pitch Perfect alum got for playing the role at the time.

Over the years, Anna Kendrick has spoken about her experiences filming Twilight and its sequels. She's explained that it wasn’t always a picnic for her, as she likened braving the the cold weather to “surviving a hostage situation.”  Today, Kendrick mostly feels that starring in the series was a good move from a business perspective. It put more eyes on her acting abilities and put solid chunk of change in her pocket.

As popular as the Twilight movies were, you couldn’t ignore their campy production qualities like the CGI mess that was Bella’s baby and every moment of overdramatic longing between the highly-anxious Bella and the sparkly Edward. It's been interesting to see how the perception of the films has changed over the years, and the Up in the Air star takes it all in stride:

You would almost think that the fame Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner went through was comparable with The Beatles'. That notoriety wasn't the best for the stars, though. Kristen Stewart has spoken about the fame she experienced due to Twilight and described the struggle of “canceling out the noise” at the time. Robert Pattinson felt like he was losing his sense of self, as he said his ego expanded when he first started doing the films. (He now hopes he’s “too old and boring” to go through fan stalking again.) 

Even Taylor Lautner said he experienced anxiety over leaving his house due to the attention he gained. He and his co-stars are all still working in Hollywood today and still get covered by the media today, though one would argue that it's nothing compared to what they went through years ago.

Though fans poke fun at the vampire movies now and some of the actors' performances in them, their careers have not been hampered by them. Anna Kendrick recently delivered her career-best work playing a victim of emotional abuse in the psychological thriller Alice, Darling. So while the group may laugh over their past work now, they can still look at the collective franchise, which is still loved by many people, as a stepping stone for them professionally. You can watch The Twilight Saga using a Showtime or Paramount+ subscription.

Eating popcorn or other snacks at the movies isn’t mandatory to enjoy the theatrical experience, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. If you’re reading this, then chances are you have fond memories of snacking on some kind of food, along with enjoying a nice beverage, while enjoying big screen entertainment. That said, you can also probably relate with Pitch Perfect alum Anna Kendrick and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel’s recent conversation about “inhaling” said snacks too early into the theatrical presentation.

Early into her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which she visited to promote her new movie Alice, Darling, Anna Kendrick mentioned how her brother worked in a movie theater. After she told the story about how she got drunk for the first time at her brother’s movie theater, Kendrick then had the following exchange with Kimmel about their bad habit of eating popcorn (on which movie theaters make a fortune) and other snacks at the movies way too quickly:

“Anna Kendrick: I try to avoid movie snacks because I cannot stop myself from just shoving the entire snack in my mouth before the movie has begun.

Jimmy Kimmel: Same here. I finish it before the previews are done.

Kendrick: Yes, before the previews are even done! It’s just, like, I can’t stop myself. It’s a conveyor belt of just calories.

Kimmel: I turn into a horse. Like a feedbag.

Kendrick: I need someone to invent, like, a thing for nachos and popcorn that’s like one of those pet feeder things that you leave your cat for a weekend, where it’s like ‘You have to wait until the next preview starts before you can take another handful of popcorn. That’s the only thing that’s going to slow me down."

Jimmy Kimmel then joked that a hole should be cut into the bottom of a popcorn container, and then suspended in midair so the person snacking can only eat a little at a time; “like a gerbil,” as Anna Kendrick quickly put it. Kimmel then admitted that him eating popcorn too quickly has drawn the ire of his kids, because even though they start off focused on their “gummy rings or whatever they have,” later on their in the mood for that classic salty snack, and whoops, it’s all gone! We’ve come a long way from the days when popcorn was banned in movie theaters, and yes, it is all too relatable to gorge on most, if not all of that, or any type of staple movie snack, but for the movie you paid to see has actually started.

So should you go to your local theater this weekend to watch Anna Kendrick in Alice, Darling (which snuck in as one of the final 2022 movies ahead of the 2023 movie releases rolling in), or any movie that’s currently playing, keep Kendrick and Jimmy Kimmel’s conversation in mind when you’re snacking. Sure, it’s easy enough to inhale the snacks during the trailers, but by practicing a little delayed  gratification, you can stretch out the enjoyment of these tasty delights. On the other hand, if you go into the movie on an empty stomach, then all bets are off.

Alice, Darling sees Anna Kendrick delivering a career-best performance as the title character, who is a victim of emotional abuse. Whether or not you end up seeing the movie, feel free to read CinemaBlend’s other coverage about Kendrick, including the funny resolution she set at the end of 2022.

While Anna Kendrick has brought her signature sass to many of her awesome performances, she took it to Twitter today to talk about New Year’s resolutions. On top of the funny tweet, people are really relating to Kendrick’s feelings about organizational bins, and it’s hilarious. 

As we bring in the new year, Kendrick posted her funny, and relatable, New Year’s resolution on Twitter that said: 

I feel her big time, I feel like most of us have bought storage bins, or organizational tools to get our lives in order for the New Year, and that obviously will fix all our problems.

Clearly, lots of others related to Kendrick’s sentiment too, as it has over 1.5 million views and 23.7 thousand likes. One person related so much to the post, he wanted to report the tweet, posting: 

While that user was buying bins, this other person proved she had already bought the bins and organized them, posting her sewing kit, which is impeccably put together if I do say so myself. 

Another user commented with a great pun which doubled as a fitting reaction to Kendrick’s tweet, posting:

This user felt the need to reword Kendrick’s claim that buying the bins will help fix her “personality problems.” They thought it was not a problem, but rather an “endearing personal quirk.” 

One user felt Kendrick’s general sentiment, but didn’t buy bins, they bought a journal. They said they purchased it at the beginning of the year and it didn’t work. Therefore she would be pouring one out for herself and to celebrate Kendrick’s movies on the 2023 film schedule. 

My personal favorite comment was advocating for The Container Store to sponsor the Pitch Perfect actress after this tweet. They wrote: 

Honestly, after the amazing year Kendrick has had, and her incredible sense of humor, she does deserve a sponsorship. 

Speaking of Kendrick’s great year, she released one amazing movie on the 2022 movie schedule called Alice, Darling. Our own Sean O’Connell called her performance in this film a “career-best,” and showed off her range as an actress. Not only is she funny, and a great singer, but she’s also a phenomenal dramatic actress. 

On top of this great performance, Kendrick also announced her directorial debut. Following this news, many of her former directors praised the actress, and they noted how they can’t wait for The Dating Game. 

As for 2023, you can expect a few movies from the actress, including her directorial debut and Trolls 3. 

While we wait for Kendrick’s new movies, you can check out what to watch this New Year’s Eve while you figure out your resolutions for 2023, and if said resolutions should involve organizational bins. 

Earlier this year, while attending the Toronto International Film Festival on behalf of her new movie Alice Darling, Anna Kendrick had to channel her inner John McClane and “escape” from an elevator when the car got stuck between floors. Weirdly enough, I was in the same building the day that this happened. I was meant to interview Kendrick about the movie (it really is the best work of her career). And when I arrived, I was told that I had to climb seven flights of stairs, because the elevator had broken. I just didn’t know that Kendrick had done her best Die Hard impression mere hours before I’d showed up.

The Pitch Perfect star retold the story of her death-defying elevator escape – OK, she’s not exactly Tom Cruise rehearsing for the next Mission: Impossible, but this is still impressive for Anna Kendrick, the non-action star. She was a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, and recalled:

You might think that she’s making it sound overly dramatic. But it’s really not. In a normal situation, the rescue crew should just be able to pry the stuck doors open. In this case, however, the elevator car was wedged between floors of the building – a very old building in downtown Toronto, mind you – and so the rescuers had to pop the hatch at the top of the elevator car and lift Anna Kendrick and her crew out. She continued to tell Kelly Clarkson:

Wanna see what it looks like to see Anna Kendrick in an “action” scene? Of course you do. The actresses posted footage of the incident on her Instagram page when it happened. It looked like this!

Anna Kendrick is exaggerating when she says she hasn’t done action. Check out Mr. Right or The Accountant for that side of her, as well as some of her upcoming movies. We even went ahead and compiled some of the best Anna Kendrick movies that you might have forgotten she has appeared in. It makes us very excited for her transition behind the camera, as she has revealed she is going to direct a feature film next, a fact that earned her kind words from fellow directors. Now let’s get that movie into theaters, so we can see the kind of story that Kendrick wants to tell.

Anna Kendrick has become such a staple in the film industry, we almost forget how long she has been appearing in movies. Most of you probably know that she appeared in Twilight at an early age, and received an Oscar nomination for her performance opposite George Clooney in Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air. They are part of 8 awesome Anna Kendrick performances you really need to familiarize yourself with. But the Pitch Perfect star is about to take a big step forward in her career by stepping behind the camera to direct for the first time, and as she told CinemaBlend, she received a ton of sweet, funny, and NSFW messages from colleagues once the news broke. 

Anna Kendrick was attending the Toronto International Film Festival to promote her upcoming film Alice, Darling, in which she plays a woman enduring an emotionally abusive relationship. It sounds heavy, and it IS heavy, but it also features Anna Kendrick’s best work on screen, in my humble opinion. As she discussed it at length, I pointed out to her that she very much sounded like an actor ready to start making directorial choices, and she explained:

Why not? Let it fly. Because in addition to working for decades in front of the camera, that means Anna Kendrick has collaborated with some of the best storytellers of our generation, so she should have an incredible team of directors on which to lean for advice, support, and encouragement. To name just a few, Jason Reitman (Up in the Air), George Clooney, Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World), David Ayer (End of Watch), Rob Marshall (Into the Woods), John Krasinski (The Hollars) and Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect 2) all seem like they would be a text or phone call away whenever Kendrick finds that she needs guidance. 

There’s no release date on Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut at the moment, but we do know that it will be called The Dating Game (for now), and that Kendrick herself will co-star in it as a character named Cheryl Bradshaw. The story, which actually happened, follows a serial killer named Rodney Alcala who – in the midst of his killing spree – decided to appear on the popular 1970s game show The Dating Game. Against all odds, Alcala “won” the competition, but contestant Bradshaw – who picked him – refused to go on the date because she allegedly found the dude to be too creepy. Read more about it here.

In the meantime, look out for Alice, Darling when it receives a release date, and keep it here for more information regarding your favorite performers. 

“Alice, Darling” stars Anna Kendrick in her best performance she’s ever given, according to CinemaBlend’s Sean O’Connell. Watch as he dives into how her work in Director Mary Nighy’s film makes her an awards contender and the subtle choices the director made to tell this story in such a successful way.

Video Chapters:

00:00 - Intro
00:45 - Anna Kendrick’s Performance
03:07 - Subtlety Drives The Poignant Plot
06:41 - Final Thoughts and Star Review
08:03 - Outro

Anna Kendrick isn’t afraid to give her witty commentary on personal events like the time her Twitter account got hacked and did so just recently. While at the Toronto International Film Festival, the star found herself in a dramatic situation. Believe it or not, Kendrick got stuck in an elevator while doing press at the event. But as usual, the Oscar nominee was able to find the humor in the unusual situation, especially when it came to a potential fashion emergency.

Before the Pitch Perfect star reflected on that potential fashion mishap at the TIFF, she was the first one to report on her elevator failure. The Oscar nominee gave a comedic take on the situation, as she provided her commentary in a post shared on her Instagram. Kendrick's trademark dry wit was on full display, as she and her entourage were rescued from the elevator. Just watch the actress' entire breakdown in the full post below.

Everyone in the elevator seemed entertained by the comedy stylings of the fan-favorite actress. Which is good, because being stuck in an elevator filled with passengers from corner to corner can be scary and anxiety-inducing. The entourage’s side commentary likely made the situation less stressful as well. It's great that the occupants made the best of the ordeal as evidenced by the photos from the actress, including those with the firefighters who rescued the passengers.

After the serious situation, ET caught up with the 37-year-old star at the premiere event for her new thriller Alice, Darling. Anna Kendrick explained just how she viewed the situation in the moment:

As Anna Kendrick pointed out, the whole thing sounded like a horror film in the making. Though such a notion might be somewhat intriguing to her, since she is preparing to direct and star in the true-crime thriller The Dating Game. But what really stands out amid her sentiments is her comment about wearing a long skirt. She broke down why her attire was significant as she and the other occupants were rescued.

Maybe she subconsciously knew something might happen but, most likely, it was a coincidence that she picked that particular outfit. Either way, her fashion choice worked out in her favor, since she had to climb out of an elevator hatch. I don't know about you all, but the actress and director may want to channel this experience into a screenplay. I know I'd watch that movie.

Anna Kendrick currently has The Dating Game and A Simple Favor 2 lined up on her current thriller movie run. Alice, Darling premiered at TIFF, which critics are calling a career-best performance from Kendrick. The thriller doesn’t have a wide release date lined up yet but, in the meantime, you can check out CinemaBlend's schedule of upcoming movies to stay updated on that front. Right now, you can also watch her in the space thriller Stowaway by getting a Netflix subscription.

Anna Kendrick makes almost every movie she chooses to appear in better, even if the movies that she chooses don’t challenge her too deeply (cough cough Noelle) or ask her to show that much range. Sometimes, as in say the Pitch Perfect movies, she’s playing a variation of the personality we often see from Kendrick on late-night talk shows or red carpet interviews. Snarky. Charming. Self-deprecating. It’s possible to forget that she’s an Oscar-nominated actress capable of going to toe-to-toe with George Clooney (in Jason Reitman’s Up In The Air), or being the focal point of a deeply emotional and sympathetic drama -- as she does this year in Alice, Darling, playing as part of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. 

According to interviews that dropped before the film Alice, Darling premiered at TIFF 2022, Anna Kendrick connected with the material on a personal level… sad when you learn that the story is about a woman who is in an emotionally abusive relationship and might be too embedded to recognize that she’s being mistreated. Speaking with People, Kendrick neglected to name names of a person who wronged her, but did admit:

By personifying someone who is coming to grips with being in an abusive relationship, Anna Kendrick delivers her career-best work, internalizing pain, doubt, and fear in a movie (directed by fellow actress Mary Nighy) that conjures dread in palpable ways as its story unfolds. 

Alice (Kendrick) dates Simon (Charlie Carrick), a handsome yet tortured artist who takes out his insecurities on her. He’s not physically abusive – not that we are shown. He’s more possessive. Manipulative. He has convinced Alice that she’s “bad,” or constantly making “mistakes.” Looking from the outside in, we can tell that these accusations are fallacies. But Kendrick sells Alice’s belief in Simon’s lies, and they are literally tearing her to pieces. 

Alice, Darling isn’t showy. Screenwriter Alanna Francis doesn’t hand Anna Kendrick flowing monologues about her abuse, inviting the actor to chew scenery (possibly for awards recognition). The movie instead is effective because of how subtle Kendrick plays the material, relying on a series of small acting choices that say so much. The face she shows Simon differs completely from the one that we see when her back is turned to him. She has a habit of twisting her hair so tight around the tips of her fingers, it cuts off circulation. Anything to just feel, again. Simon’s influence over Alice is so toxic, we begin to dread the message that waits for her when the cell phone ring indicates the arrival of a new text. 

No one should have to endure the pain and the paranoia that Alice faces. And its depressing to learn that Kendrick was attracted to this material because she endured such suffering, herself. But if we suffer for our art, then the upside is that it has produced this wonderfully sympathetic and heartfelt story of rebirth, when the strength of those around you shine bright enough to show you the way. 

In addition to Anna Kendrick’s standout drama Alice, Darling, CinemaBlend has been on the ground covering TIFF 2022. We saw the first two episodes of the fifth season of The Handmaid’s Tale, as well as Daniel Radcliffe’s turn as “Weird” Al Yankovic. Sarah Polley took us on a devastating path through the somber novel Women Talking. And we have plenty more to come, including reviews of Bros, The Woman King, Glass Onion, and Steven Speilberg’s The Fabelmans, so stay tuned.

Publicly, Anna Kendrick has been quiet lately outside of a few news items here and there (like when she apologized to camp counselors about the "Cups" song), but there appears to be a reason, as a new announcement shed light on Kendrick’s newest project. The Pitch Perfect alum is now jumping to make her feature directorial debut through a serious true crime thriller.

Deadline revealed that Anna Kendrick will make her directorial debut with the true crime thriller The Dating Game. In addition to being behind the camera, she will also produce and star in this flick. Upon the announcement hitting the press, Kendrick couldn’t hide her excitement over making her feature directorial debut with the upcoming crime thriller. In her words:

Despite Anna Kendrick being a first-time director, co-producer Stuart Ford had nothing but praise for the A Simple Favor star. He maintained Kendrick getting behind the camera “makes absolute sense” as she can “back her vision for the film.”

Kendrick is taking on a serious subject as a first-time director. The Oscar nominee will tackle the real-life case surrounding psychopathic serial killer Rodney Alcala (a.k.a. The Dating Game Killer) as told through the experience of Cheryl Bradshaw (played by Anna Kendrick), who picked Alcala for a romantic date after appearing on the hit 1970s matchmaking series The Dating Game in 1978. At the time of his TV appearance, the late serial sex offender was on a killing spree. The true crime story was turned into a script by Some Freaks director Ian MacAllister McDonald.

The Stowaway actress will produce the true crime thriller through her production company Let’s Go Again alongside Ford’s AGC Studios. BoulderLight Pictures’ J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules, and Vertigo Entertainment’s Roy Lee and Miri Yoon, will serve as co-producers on the project. The upcoming film is currently in pre-production, with production expected to start in late October. Outside of Kendrick’s casting, there hasn't been any additional casting announced.

Along with The Dating Game adaptation, Anna Kendrick has numerous projects in the works, including reuniting with Blake Lively for A Simple Favor 2. Kendrick appears to be on a thriller streak as her upcoming film Alice, Darling is set to premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.

In the meantime, there are upcoming movies to watch in 2022. Until you get to see Anna Kendrick’s new films, you can subscribe to Peacock to stream the Pitch Perfect trilogy. Catch up with Kendrick and her castmates to see what they’re doing right now.