TV & movies

The latest news and reviews of TV shows and movies.

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Amazon's 'The Romanoffs' teaser shows desperate claims to fame
Amazon is finally ready to show more of The Romanoffs than its all-star cast. The internet behemoth has posted a full-fledged teaser trailer for the Prime Video anthology series, and it's evident that the show is equal parts serious and irreverent. This definitely isn't a historical piece. Rather, it's a look at the seeming ridiculousness of people around the world as they claim to be descendants of the last Russian royal family. There's more than a slight whiff of desperation, although the teaser doesn't rule out the possibility that some characters might have a legitimate claim.
'Star Trek: Discovery' has its Spock
CBS just cast one of the most important roles in Star Trek: Discovery's future. The network has chosen Ethan Peck to play the iconic Spock in its streaming sci-fi series. According to the broadcaster, the In Time actor "effortlessly" reflected Spock's half-Vulcan mix of cool logic and bubbling emotions. It's not certain exactly when he'll show up, although there's a good chance he'll appear sometime in season two given that he both serves under the Enterprise's Christopher Pike and is the foster brother to "Michael Burnham."
MoviePass has been resurrecting recently cancelled accounts
We've been following the seeming death spiral of MoviePass for awhile now, as the company has run out of cash, limited services, raised prices and more. Now, there's a new issue for subscribers to contend with: People who cancelled their MoviePass subscriptions are finding that their accounts have been reactivated, seemingly without their consent.
Older Fire TV devices get improved protection against Android malware
It came to light earlier this year that a virus was attacking Fire TV devices because of an Android-based vulnerability relating to ADB (Android Debug Bridge) connections. But part of the newest software update, 5.2.6.6, should make things a lot more secure, no matter how you've been playing around with your device's developer options.
CBS All Access' 'One Dollar' trailer links money to murder
CBS wants to remind you that its All Access streaming service isn't just about Star Trek, and it's doing that in grand fashion. The network has posted the first trailer for One Dollar, a thriller series that underscores the dangers of money. It features singer Sturgill Simpson as a former steel mill worker swept up in class and culture wars that ignite after a strange multiple murder. The hook, as the name implies, is a dollar bill -- its path through a declining company town provides different perspectives from people desperate for and corrupted by cash.
Marvel's 'Runaways' returns to Hulu December 21st
Hulu has announced that the second season of Marvel's Runaways will premiere December 21st, Deadline reports. And there won't be any weekly installments this time around as there were with the first season because all 13 episodes are getting dropped at once. Hulu renewed the series for a second season just as the first one wrapped up.
A screenwriter is working on a list of every hit film you can’t stream
We've all had moments trying to hunt down films that just don't seem to be anywhere online, whether on streaming services, for rent or to purchase. Screenwriter John August (Charlie's Angels, Big Fish, the upcoming live-action Aladdin) noticed that Ron Howard's light sci-fi film Cocoon wasn't available online, he started a list collecting other popular films from the last 30-odd years that are completely absent from the internet for reasons unknown -- and he's asking fellow cinephiles to help fill it out.
Marvel Studio's 10th anniversary movie festival is IMAX-only
Marvel is going all-out to mark the 10th birthday of its Cinematic Universe, and that includes upgrading the quality of the movies themselves. It's hosting a 10th Anniversary Film Festival between August 30th and September 6th, and you'll have to visit "select" IMAX theaters across North America if you want to join in. To that end, it's promising digital remasters of every movie to take advantage of IMAX's picture and sound quality, including movies that have never been shown in IMAX before. This will be your first chance to watch Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk and Captain America: The First Avenger in the premium format.
I'll take 'Jeopardy' on Hulu for $400, Alex
Jeopardy has been a mainstay of the TV landscape for 35 years, but you wouldn't know it if you didn't have conventional TV service. Thankfully, it's joining the modern era -- Hulu has announced that it's the first streaming service to carry the legendary quiz show. You won't find the entire back catalog (would you really want to marathon several thousand episodes?), but you will see "curated" collections that highlight some of the better-known moments. You'll find at least some of Ken Jennings' epic-length run, for example, as well as the performances of record-setting money maker Brad Rutter.
The best TVs for dorm rooms
At the end of the school day, you'll probably want to wind down and watch a movie or show, but sooner or later, your laptop screen just won't cut it. There are lots of choices when shopping for TVs, so here are the best options that fit a variety of dorms and apartments. For the purposes of our back-to-school guide, we focused on models that came in at $500 or less. While there are even less expensive models out there, we recommend spending a bit more for a 4K TV, as there's now more content available for it. Samsung's 43-inch NU7100 Smart 4K UHD is a solid choice that won't take up too much space. If you're not short on room, consider Vizio's 50-inch E-series 4K HDR, or even going for the less feature-heavy but lower-priced Hisense 55-inch 4K UHD. Any of these will be welcome choices that are likely to hold up for years -- well past graduation, even.
You don't need a Roku to watch Roku's free movies
Almost a year since Roku launched its free, ad-supported movie channel across its devices, the company is taking a major step forward: The internet! Starting today, anyone in the US can head over to TheRokuChannel.com to access the company's free library on PCs, phones and tablets. The only requirement is a Roku account, which you can sign up for on the site. It's not a huge surprise to see Roku broaden access to its free channel, since it announced earlier this year it would be coming to Samsung TVs (that's also rolling out today). And in April, the company partnered with ABC, Cheddar and other media firms for free live news streaming.
Apple develops series based on hit historical novel 'Pachinko'
Apple's ever-expanding show library may scratch the itch if you're the literary sort. Deadline and Variety have learned that Apple has landed the rights to a series based on Min Jin Lee's bestselling 2017 novel Pachinko. The historical epic details the story of four generations of a Korean immigrant family as it makes its way from its homeland to Japan and the US. Min Jin Lee will serve as an executive producer alongside Soo Hugh (producer for The Terror and Under the Dome), who's also writing the potential show.
Netflix trailer for 'Maniac' shows a drug trial gone off the rails
Netflix's high-profile Maniac series is no longer quite so mysterious. The streaming service has posted a full trailer for the dark comedy that reveals just what Owen (Jonah Hill) and Annie (Emma Stone) endure when the strange pharmaceutical trial goes haywire. Dr. Mantelray (Justin Theroux) is convinced that he has "solved" the mind, but just the opposite happens to our unwitting volunteers -- they're immersed in some "multi-reality brain magic" that drops them into fantasy lands and skews their perceptions. It's a commentary on society's obsession with "normal" and trying to flatten the peaks and valleys of your mental landscape.
Microsoft rejoins Disney's Movies Anywhere
Microsoft is rejoining Disney's Movies Anywhere service, so you can again use that app to watch flicks you bought through the Movies & TV store. Movies Anywhere dropped support for the store last year, but it's returning.
'Minecraft' movie delayed amid director changes
Were you eagerly awaiting Minecraft movie's May 2019 release? You'll need to make a change of plans. Director and co-writer Rob McElhenney has informed TheWrap that the originally slated debut is "not happening" as he's leaving the project. It's not clear why he's departing or who will replace him as director. However, Warner Bros. is asking Aaron and Adam Nee (both working on Masters of the Universe) to draft a new script.
Picard returns to 'Star Trek' in a new series for CBS All Access
CBS is banking on more Star Trek shows as a way to draw in more viewers, and it's clearly ready to pull out all the stops in the process. The network has confirmed that it's launching an All Access series that will continue the story of Star Trek: The Next Generation's Jean-Luc Picard -- and yes, it will star Patrick Stewart. Discovery co-creator Alex Kurtzman will oversee the new show with help from other veterans from All Access' inaugural Star Trek show.
Nickelodeon's new animated show will be made with game engine
Nickelodeon's new TV show Meet the Voxels will be created with a video game engine, Variety reports. The studio's R&D unit, Nickelodeon Entertainment Lab, worked on the techniques and methods that will be applied to the show. Meet the Voxels's premise is centered around video games, as each member of the titular family is a star in a video game franchise (or is hoping to become one).
Vizio adds over 100 free streaming channels to its SmartCast TVs
Vizio announced today that it's launching a new free streaming service called WatchFree. Rolling out now, the service will be available on most Vizio SmartCast TVs and will include more than 100 channels, such as NBC News, MSNBC, Fox Sports, Crime Network, The Surf Channel, Cats 24/7 and multiple movie channels. The service is powered by the ad-supported free streaming service Pluto TV, which will soon add two pop-up channels that feature Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares and Unsolved Mysteries.
Sony unveils the Bravia Master Series, its latest high-end TVs
Your quest for the best 4K TV just got a bit more complicated. Sony just announced the Bravia Master Series TVs, 4K sets powered by its new X1 Ultimate image processor. Naturally, the flagship A9F is an OLED TV, while the Z9F is a cheaper LED model. Thanks to that new processor, they pack in entirely new features, like object-based HDR remastering and super resolution. They're a bit wonky sounding, but ultimately, they should deliver a better looking picture. Sony also teamed up with Netflix for a new calibrated mode that will recreate the ideal settings for the streaming service's content.
MoviePass stops offering tickets for big movies amid outages
MoviePass' financial and technical problems keep getting worse. According to a Business Insider source, company chief Mitch Lowe not only told staffers that the service wouldn't offer tickets for the next two major movie releases this summer (Christopher Robin and The Meg), but hinted that this would be the policy for other movies in the near future. Some viewers couldn't order tickets for Mission: Impossible - Fallout this past weekend, for that matter. A spokesperson wouldn't directly comment on the report, but did point to an open letter from Lowe that said "certain movies may not always be available in every theater."

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