TV & movies

The latest news and reviews of TV shows and movies.

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Netflix renews 'BoJack Horseman' for sixth season
Netflix might be ending long-running shows left and right, but there's at least one series surviving the gauntlet. The service has renewed BoJack Horseman for a sixth season, guaranteeing that it will have a run at least as long as House of Cards. There's no mention of a tentative release window, but it's safe to presume new episodes won't come for a while when Netflix only just debuted the fifth season in September.
Google Assistant now controls your Roku devices
After a few weeks of waiting, Roku's promised Google Assistant control is here. If you're using a TV or player running at least Roku OS 8.1, you can link the Google Home app to your Roku account and control core functions using only voice and an "on Roku" suffix. You can launch channels, search for shows and control playback on most devices, while TV owners can turn on the set, adjust volume or switch inputs.
Classic cinema streaming service FilmStruck will close November 29th
FilmStruck, WarnerMedia's streaming service that focuses on classic and indie cinema, is shutting down November 29th. The two-year-old platform is already closed to new subscribers.
Hulu adds ABC News Live and CBSN to its live TV package
Hulu is adding three more news channels to its live TV package, albeit streaming networks you can watch elsewhere for free. ABC News Live, CBSN and startup network Cheddar are all joining the service.
Apple snags Steve Carell for one of its upcoming shows
Last year, Apple announced a Reese Witherspoon- and Jennifer Aniston-led drama as part of its growing slate of original shows, and now Steve Carell has signed on to the project. Still unnamed, the series centers on a morning TV show, and Carell will play an anchor who's trying to figure out how to remain relevant in an ever-changing media landscape. Apple has ordered two 10-episode seasons, and the show is scheduled to start filming next week, Deadline reports.
MoviePass to spin out from its parent company amid legal woes
If you're in any way familiar with Helios and Matheson Analytics (HMNY for short), you probably know it only as the owner of MoviePass -- and the company would unsurprisingly like to change that perception. Its board has greenlit a preliminary plan to spin out a subsidiary, MoviePass Entertainment Holdings, that would take control of the shares of both MoviePass Inc. and HMNY's other movie-related assets. The firm isn't shy about the reasoning: it has "become synonymous" with MoviePass ever since taking control of it at the end of 2017, and it believes its "market perception" might improve by spinning out the subscription movie offering. In other words: MoviePass has overshadowed its other businesses, and it wants to remove that close association.
Oculus stops offering movies on Rift headsets due to low demand
It's a lousy time to be a fan of PC-based VR, apparently. Oculus told both customers and Variety that it's shutting down its movie store for Rift headset owners, leaving you to use third-party services (or watch on a regular screen) if you want to buy or rent flicks. The store is closing as of October 22nd, and you'll have until November 20th to watch your catalog before that too goes away. Oculus will offer refunds to anyone who bought movies before the closure.
Netflix orders more of Matt Groening's 'Disenchantment'
Netflix may be ending shows left and right, but it's still willing to commit to some shows. The service has announced that it's releasing more episodes of Matt Groening's Disenchantment. It'll continue season one with new episodes in 2019, and has ordered more episodes for 2020 and 2021 -- the company is a bit vague as to how the series will continue once the first season is over. There's precious little to say about what those future episodes entail, but Groening joked that you could expect more instances of "cranked-up suspense, infuriating plot twists, and beloved characters getting knocked off."
Netflix taps Gullermo del Toro to direct 'Pinocchio'
Netflix is adding to its stable of Oscar-winning directors with Guillermo del Toro, who will take the reins on a stop-motion adaptation of the classic kids' story Pinocchio. It's the first time del Toro has directed an animated movie, and he will also write and produce the musical.
Samsung's case for buying an 8K TV: Why wait?
Samsung and LG will forever be locked in a perpetual tug-of-war, and display tech is just one of the many fronts on which they tussle. Conference halls are their battleground, and at IFA this year, 8K TVs were their weapons. But where LG's model was a sneak peek at what may come to pass, Samsung's was ready to box up and sell. Speaking to Samsung execs this week, I asked them why on earth someone would by a 8K TV right now. Their case was simple: Why wouldn't they?
Netflix’s ‘Orange is the New Black’ will end with season seven
The time has come to say goodbye to another Netflix series. This time, it's Orange is the New Black. The show announced in a tweet that the upcoming seventh season will be its last, and in a video, the cast members expressed what the show and its fans have meant to them as well as how much they're going to miss it.
Facebook is reportedly making a video chat camera for your TV
Facebook's Portal cameras might just be the start of the company's plans to bring video chat to your home. Cheddar sources claimed that the social network is making a "camera-equipped device" that brings video chat and streaming services (including Facebook's own) to your TV. Nicknamed Ripley, it's tentatively slated to launch in spring 2019. A Facebook spokesperson declined to comment.
Netflix will stream the BBC’s three-part ‘Dracula’ series
Netflix and the UK's BBC One are teaming up on a three-part Dracula series, which the British broadcaster will air in the UK and Netflix will premiere outside of the UK. Each part will be 90 minutes long and the series is written by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, the creators of Sherlock. "There have always been stories about great evil," the two said in a statement. "What's special about Dracula, is that Bram Stoker gave evil its own hero."
Amazon's 'Transparent' will end with a movie-length musical episode
Much like Netflix's challenges with House of Cards, the creators of Amazon's Transparent have faced a problem: how do they wrap up the final season of a long-running show in a way that does the series justice, especially with the departure of a key cast member? In this case, it's simple: take a cue from Broadway. Series creator Jill Soloway has revealed to the New York Times that the last episode of the fifth season will be a two-hour musical episode. Details are scarce, but it'll ideally be a cross of Jesus Christ Superstar, La La Land, Flight of the Conchords and "a little Yentl," according to Soloway. It should reach Prime Video in fall 2019.
Netflix's 'BoJack Horseman' is coming to international TV networks
At this rate, BoJack Horseman is so ubiquitous that it might be harder to avoid the Netflix show than to watch it. Hot on the heels of the Comedy Central deal, Variety has learned that Lionsgate's Debmar-Mercury has secured the rights to sell the first three seasons of the animated series to international TV networks. The most recent seasons should be available later. While this isn't Lionsgate's first Netflix pact (it also sold Orange is the New Black outside the US), it expands a distribution deal that was already rare in the streaming video business.
Sinemia will help movie theaters create their own subscription plans
While MoviePass' money woes have led it to change its service and its users' plans a number of times, Sinemia seems to have avoided the issues that have plagued its rival. The company offers a number of plans, including an unlimited version as well as family plans, but it'll soon add another service, this one for theaters themselves rather than moviegoers.
Apple's original shows may be free for device owners
Apple's long-in-the-making streaming video service might not cost you anything. CNBC sources have reported that Apple's offering will revolve around a revamped TV app where original programming will be available for free in addition to previously rumored paid "channels" for third-party services like HBO and Starz. Apparently, that's a reason why Apple is interested in family-friendly shows -- it doesn't want to raise hackles by offering racy and violent material at no charge.
AT&T's WarnerMedia will launch streaming TV service in late 2019
Add AT&T to the list of media giants launching streaming services that revolve solely around their own content. The company's WarnerMedia is launching a streaming offering in the fourth quarter of 2019 with access to the group's collection of movies and TV shows. Most details are under wraps, but CNN has obtained an internal memo from CEO John Stankey showing that it would "start with HBO" and "package" Turner and Warner Bros. content. And while it would be a stand-alone service, Stankey stressed that it would "complement" the company's conventional TV distribution. It's trying to avoid a fight with cable and satellite giants worried they'll lose customers, in other words.
'Making a Murderer: Part 2' trailer shows the fight isn't over
You no longer have to wonder how Making a Murderer: Part 2 will portray Steven Avery's continuing legal battle. Netflix has released a trailer for the second season of the documentary, and it portrays the quest to overturn Avery's conviction as an attempt to right an injustice. The production indicates that Avery's lawyer Kathleen Zellner is attempting nothing less than to "up-end the system," and suggests that there's evidence that could make Avery a free man. It also paints a sympathetic view of Avery and fellow convict Brendan Dassey.
Netflix is buying its first production studio complex
Netflix isn't just expanding its footprint in California. The streaming behemoth is planning to open a production hub in New Mexico by acquiring Albuquerque's ABQ Studios -- its first purchase of a production studio complex. It's making the deal (which is still in "final negotiations") in part due to incentives, which include up to $10 million in Local Economic Development Act funding from the state as well as a maximum of $4.5 million from Albuquerque.

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