TV & movies

The latest news and reviews of TV shows and movies.

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Warner Bros. will use AI to help make decisions on movie releases
AI is about to play more of a role in the movie-making process. Warner Bros. Pictures has unveiled plans to use Cinelytic's AI project management system to assist in making decisions on movies during the "greenlight process." No, it won't have the final say on whether or not a movie goes forward. Rather, this will help the studio predict a movie's revenue, gauge the value of stars and determine when a title should premiere. Studio execs would ultimately have the final say, but the AI could help determine whether a movie is treated as a summer blockbuster or early-in-the-year filler material.
Go Dogo trains your pup while you're away
A bored dog is an unhappy dog. So if you have to commute to the office during the work week, keep your pup entertained and mentally engaged with Go Dogo.
Amazon's 'Lord of the Rings' show has its star
You might recognize Robert Aramayo as the actor who played the young Ned Stark in the sixth and seventh seasons of Game of Thrones. The British actor will be joining another fantasy series, as he's been tapped to play the lead in Amazon's upcoming Lord of the Rings show, according to Deadline and Variety. Aramayo will replace Will Poulter, who had to exit the production due to scheduling conflicts.
CES 2020 recap: Day one
On day one at CES 2020 we got to see a lot of bleeding-edge TVs. To start with, Samsung showed off its Q950 8K TV with a minimal 15mm frame and AI processor that can track screen objects and position the sound to match. LG unveiled its latest rollable OLED TV, but rather than rolling up from the floor, it rolls down from the ceiling like a projector screen with no need for a projector. LG also revealed that it's making OLED TVs more affordable using smaller 48-inch displays. TVs weren't everything, of course. Sony also unveiled a surprise EV concept, Canon launched a supercharged DSLR and Mercedes hit us with a crazy Avatar-inspired autonomous car. For more, check out our complete CES2020 coverage.
Panasonic's extra-bright OLED TV is aimed at cinephiles
Panasonic is known for building costly TVs with exceptional image quality, and it's keeping that trend going at CES 2020. Its latest HZ2000 model is the first OLED TV to support Dolby Vision IQ and Filmmaker Mode, features aimed at cinephiles who want to view films exactly as the creators intended. It's built using Panasonic's Master HDR OLED Professional Edition panel, which also delivers up to an extra 20 percent peak brightness compared to other OLED TVs.
Watch LG's CES press event in 9 minutes
This morning, LG used its CES press conference to reveal more details about its "Real 8K" televisions and rollable 4K OLED TV. LG also offered a glimpse of its 48-inch 4K OLED and its GX Gallery Series ultrathin wallpaper OLED TVs. Additionally, the company confirmed that the 2020 lineup will support Dolby Vision IQ and Filmmaker Mode, and US viewers will be able to get additional details about specific scenes.
Sony's 8K and OLED TVs adapt their sound to your room
Sony is coming to CES with its customary TV lineup revamp, and this year the focus is as much on sound as it is picture quality. Its newly unveiled Z8H 8K LED (shown above), A9S 4K OLED, A8H 4K OLED, X950H 4K LED (pictured below) and X900H 4K LED sets bring an Ambient Optimization feature that fine-tunes the picture and sound to your viewing space, including an Acoustic Audio Calibration feature that supposedly delivers the "full sound potential" of your TV during the initial setup process. And if you spring for the top-of-the-line Z8H, you'll get a Frame Tweeter that vibrates the frame of the TV itself to generate sound -- if you can't hook up dedicated speakers, this should be more immersive than what you'd normally get from built-in audio.
Samsung's giant 'Wall' TV now comes in four more sizes
Samsung's luxurious The Wall TV now has more options -- at least, for those with the vast amounts of money and space to get one. The company is taking advantage of production improvements to introduce 88-inch, 93-, 110- and 150-inch fixed screen sizes in addition to the 75-, 146-, 219- and 292-inch options that were available before. That's almost too fine-grained (does Samsung really need both 146- and 150-inch sets?), but it should suit those who want the largest possible screen for a given wall.
Samsung's artsy The Frame TV gets larger and smarter for 2020
Samsung's latest generation of The Frame might just make a better case for using your TV as an artistic centerpiece. The company's 2020 models (not yet pictured) are now available in a larger 75-inch size as well as a relatively tiny 32-inch model, making it a better fit as either the conversation starter for an expansive living room or an out-of-the-way screen for the bedroom. You can also get variants with beige and burgundy bezels, and accessories like a gapless wall mount and an 'invisible' connection can reinforce that painting-like look.
Samsung's latest 8K TVs will include 4K over-the-air tuners
Samsung's next wave of 8K TVs are likely to have numerous features to catch your eye, but one of the more important additions may be one of the simplest: an improvement to free broadcasts. The tech giant has revealed that its 2020 QLED 8K catalog will include ATSC 3.0 tuners with NEXTGEN TV to deliver over-the-air 4K programming, multi-channel object-based audio and "enhanced" content to US viewers. Your TV still won't be used to its fullest potential, but this beats having to pay for cable or streaming services to get a live TV picture beyond 1080p.
Apple signs former HBO chief to a five-year deal
Apple is clearly ready to make a long-term commitment to streaming TV. The tech giant has struck a deal with former HBO chief Richard Plepler's company Eden Productions to produce movies, shows and documentaries for Apple TV+ over the next five years. There are no clues as to what Eden will make for Apple, but Variety understands the focus is on a small amount of "high-profile" content rather than flooding Apple with shows.
This might be Samsung's upcoming 'zero bezel' 8K TV
You might not have to wait until CES to see Samsung's fabled 'zero bezel' TV. German site 4KFilme has posted what it says are the first pictures of the 8K set, which might be called the Q900T or Q950T. If these are accurate, it's not literally a zero-bezel TV, but it's very close. The most you see is a tiny chin. It would also have a soundbar-friendly stand, and there appears to be a gap-free wall mount like before.
Samsung may unveil a true 'zero bezel' TV at CES 2020
Samsung might soon make good on its promise of bezel-free TVs. The Elec sources say the company plans to introduce a zero bezel TV at CES 2020 in early January, with mass production starting in February. While the finer details aren't available, the design reportedly welds the display and main body "more closely" to eliminate the usual borders on sets 65 inches and larger. And we do mean eliminate -- this supposedly "really doesn't have a bezel," one source said.
'Uncharted' movie loses yet another director
So much for the Uncharted movie gaining some semblance of stability. Deadline sources claim Bumblebee's Travis Knight has to give up the director's chair due to the timing needed to accommodate lead actor Tom Holland. Apparently, his filming schedule for the third Spider-Man has created its share of headaches. The currently chosen cast members should remain intact, including Mark Wahlberg, but the release is expected to move once again. Don't count on that previously reported December 2020 premiere.
'The Mandalorian' returns with season two in fall 2020
It's no secret that a second season of The Mandalorian is in the works, but when does it show up? Roughly a year from now, apparently. Series overseer Jon Favreau has confirmed that the follow-up will premiere on Disney+ in fall 2020, or roughly a year after the Star Wars live action series began. He's still not saying what it'll entail (the Gamorrean isn't necessarily a clue), but this will be reassuring to anyone panicking at having to go without a fix of their favorite bounty hunter.
BritBox finally adds classic 'Doctor Who' to its UK service
As a Boxing Day gift to the UK, the entire library of classic Doctor Who content is now available on BritBox. The streaming service now has 627 pieces of content -- a mix of episodes, spinoffs, documentaries and more. That includes 558 episodes with the first eight doctors, an unaired story entitled Shada, which is presented as a 130-minute special, and two solely animated stories -- The Power of the Daleks and The Macra Terror.
Techno-thriller 'Mr. Robot' ends on a mind-melting high
(This article contains spoilers for 'Mr. Robot' season four) When Mr. Robot debuted in June 2015, it was the show's commitment to authentic hacking that attracted eyeballs. For so long, cybersecurity had been shortchanged on-screen -- an ever-changing field that needed to be simplified, producers thought, for mainstream audiences and dramatic pacing. Mr. Robot was unique in part because it veered in the other direction, embracing the skill and complexity of modern-day hacking and taking time -- exponentially more than the average TV drama, anyway -- to explain the vulnerabilities that were being exploited and the knowledge or leverage it would give each character. Hacking, though, was never the central theme of the show. Not really.
'Stranger Things' pinball machine melds two forms of '80s nostalgia
If watching Stranger Things has inspired you to look for '80s-era gaming, your search might be over. Stern Pinball has introduced a Stranger Things pinball table that, like the Netflix show, blends nostalgia with 21st century technology. Your quest is to unravel the supernatural mysteries of Hawkins and defeat the Demogorgon (complete with a model on the field), but it's how you get there that matters -- the table has a modern feature or two that helps it stand out from the crowd.
Sling TV raises its prices but adds a few more channels
Sling TV is a worthy choice for viewers who want live TV -- the service offers plenty of channels, doesn't lock customers into long-term contracts and is one of the cheapest options out there. But now it might be a little bit harder for Sling to convince new subscribers to join, as the company increased the monthly price of its two base packages -- Sling Orange and Sling Blue -- from $25 to $30 a month. Customers can still save by bundling the two together for $45, up from $40.
'Cats' is getting new special effects while it's still in theaters
You've seen movies receive visual touch-ups in special edition re-releases, but Universal is trying something new: it's updating a movie while it's still in the middle of its initial theatrical run. The media giant has informed theaters that it's giving them a new version of Cats that delivers "some improved visual effects," according to a memo Hollywood Reporter saw. Insiders talking to the publication said that director Tom Hooper wanted to alter some of the effects after rushing to get the movie ready in time for its December 16th premiere screening.

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