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Guy Maddin’s sophomore feature, Archangel, takes place in a fantastical crossroads of history, in a hamlet in Russia so remote that the twin shocks of World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution have only just reached town limits in 1919. Its plot—of a love triangle between a traumatized WWI veteran (Kyle McCulloch), the woman (Kathy Marykuca) he believes is his dead wife, and her own amnesiac husband (Ari Cohen)—offers something of a précis of narrative tropes and themes that would pervade Maddin’s cinema. There’s the juxtaposition of archaic film form with more risqué sexual exhibition, the slipperiness of memory, and a notion of projection heavily indebted to Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo.

Nonetheless, Archangel feels more like a repository of references to the cinema of a hundred years ago than something fully imbued with Maddin’s signature idiosyncrasy. Verohnka, for one, habitually wears a spiky, chintzy crown...

Quick Links Kenny's Inability to Talk Limits His Character When Did South Park Stop Killing Kenny? South Park Turned Kenny's Deaths Into a Bona-Fide Superpower South Park's creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, got tired of finding new ways to kill off Kenny in every episode. Kenny's inability to speak limited his development as a character, leading to the decision to kill him off permanently. While Kenny eventually returned, the running gag involving his death is far less frequent--though South Park has delved further into the lore of how he is able to return each time he dies.

When South Park debuted, one of its most memorable and unique running gags was the recurring death of Kenny McCormick. The muffled-voiced, parka-wearing kid of the group died in every episode until his "permanent" death in Season 5. While the character has reappeared since, and even still dies occasionally, the joke is...

Guy Maddin’s 1988 feature directorial debut, Tales from the Gimli Hospital, finds the Canadian auteur’s delightfully perverse sensibilities already fully formed. Given the film’s mix of surreal black-and-white imagery, subversive sexuality, and offbeat comedy, as well as its success on the midnight movie circuit, the comparisons to David Lynch’s Eraserhead were inevitable. And yet, anyone who’s seen even a single one of Maddin’s later work can instantly tell that this film couldn’t have sprung from the subconscious of any other filmmaker.

Maddin’s obsession with obscure Canadian folklore is evident right from the get-go, with a title card informing the audience about the 1865 eruption of Askja, a quiescent volcano, that caused many Icelanders to immigrate to Gimli, a small town in Manitoba, Canada. What follows is, like many of the directors other films, a deliriously playful fusion of fact and fiction, with each “historical...

Millennials and Gen-Zers, say goodbye to the David Hasselhoff “SpongeBob” cameos of your childhood. According to the “Sponge on the Run” trailer, Keanu Reeves, or rather his floating head, will make an appearance in the upcoming film premiering May 22, 2020.

The latest film in the SpongeBob franchise follows the yellow sponged hero and his friend Patrick as they set off on the road in their search to find SpongeBob’s lost snail Gary.

“Call me Sage. I’m made of sage and I am a sage, so it works out pretty well,” Reeves says to the duo, to which the affable but not-so-smart companion responds by saying, “I’m Patrick, my name means ‘toaster’ in Celtic.”

Along with an updated Patty-mobile, the trailer also shows SpongeBob and Patrick falling prey to ice cream, churros, cotton candy and the dangers of gambling after stumbling upon the lost city of Atlantic City.

The...

The summer movie season has arrived — bringing with it the usual panoply of blockbusters, spectacular action and eye-popping visual effects. And, as always, supporting this groundswell of big-budget extravaganzas, such as this year’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story” and “Avengers: Infinity War,” is the specialized work of thousands of highly skilled visual effects artists and technicians.

But somewhat counterintuitively, even though many of these films are breaking box office records, the effects houses that create this magic are struggling.

“It’s an incredibly competitive industry,” explains Kelly Port, a visual effects supervisor at VFX house Digital Domain, who worked on “Infinity War.” “For as much money that’s spent on visual effects, it’s an incredibly low-margin business.”

That’s partly because state-of-the-art effects work is hugely labor-intensive; it can take a massive crew eight months to a year of full-time work to finish one film. Such a large...

Today was a busy day for some of the smaller guilds with the Visual Effects Society, the Cinema Audio Society, and the Makeup and Hairstylists Guilds all announcing their nominations for 2013.

First, we have the Ves, whose main category to look at is “Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Feature Motion Picture,” where we find Gravity and four other nominees that are just going to have to be happy with the fact that they got nominated. This is perhaps the easiest category to call in the entirety of awards season, and I don’t mean just here, but for the Oscar as well (Last year’s winner, Life of Pi, easily took this category before going on to claim the Oscar). It’s true that films like The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and Star Trek Into Darkness had outstanding effects as well, but nothing even came close to the amazing,...

"Whispers that the latest from Winnipeg's favourite son had been rebuffed at European festivals before landing on Toronto's doorstep engender a suspicion towards it, as if it's typically Maddinesque gestures were just that: typical, tired, by the numbers." John Semley in Cinema Scope: "Granted, Maddin is once again working through his favorite hang-ups here: memory, family, and odes to forgotten film genres so consigned to oblivion that they never existed at all (in this case the Joycean gangster-haunted house picture). But Maddin finds new footing here, and his best leading man since Careful's Kyle McCulloch in Jason Patric, whose classic, rock-jawed good looks and tendency to play the silliness and surrealism totally straight, as if he's just happy for the job, make Keyhole feel like considerably more than another exercise in Maddinalia."

James Rocchi for the Playlist: "Maddin's usual fondness for the (soap) operatic and the melodramatic are both in play here,...

The newly launched TBS animated series Neighbors from Hell appeared at Comic-Con 2010 to screen a never-before-seen episode of their show and give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the series. On hand to discuss the series were the show's voice cast, which included Kurtwood Smith, Molly Shannon, Kyle McCulloch and Tracey Fairaway. To watch our exclusive video interviews, click on the clips below:

Exclusive: Kurtwood Smith Talks Neighbors from Hell Season 1 @ Comic-Con 2010

Exclusive: Molly Shannon Talks Neighbors from Hell Season 1 @ Comic-Con 2010

Exclusive: Tracey Fairaway Talks Neighbors from Hell Season 1 @ Comic-Con 2010

Exclusive: Kyle McCulloch Talks Neighbors from Hell Season 1 @ Comic-Con 2010...

Start: 07/22/2010 End: 07/25/2010 Start: 07/22/2010 End: 07/25/2010

Are you going to Comic-Con in San Diego? Don't miss these panels about chicks in sci-fi, horror, and fantasy.

Thursday, July 22

1:00-2:00 Spotlight on Charlaine Harris— Author and Comic-Con special guest Charlaine Harris gathered a huge fan base with her novels and stories featuring her characters mystery-solving librarian Aurora Teagarden; Shakespeare, Arkansas resident Lily Bard; and the telepathic barmaid who befriends vampires, werewolves, and various other odd creatures, Sookie Stackhouse. Once Sookie and company moved to the small screen with HBO's True Blood, Harris entered the superstar realm. Be a part of the very first Spotlight panel devoted to Charlaine and hear what she has to say about what comes next for Sookie and everyone else! Room 6Bcf

3:00-4:00 Spotlight on Jenette Kahn— For 27 years Comic-Con special guest Jenette Kahn steered the course for DC Comics as its president and publisher, the...

Comic-Con has just released its full Friday schedule and below you will find all of the movie and TV-related panels and events for the day. Take a look below and you can also if you missed yesterday's Preview Night and Thursday schedule. If you want the entire Friday Comic-Con schedule with comic book, video game and other related events, you can .

Friday, July 23

10:00-11:00 Comedy Central: Ugly Americans

David M. Stern (showrunner and executive producer), Daniel Powell (executive producer), Jeff Poliquin (supervising producer), Devin Clark (producer and series creator), Aaron Augenblick (director of animation), Matt Oberg (voice of Mark Lilly), Kurt Metzger (voice of Randall Skeffington), and Randy Pearlstein (voice of Leonard) take you behind the scenes at this animated series sensation. Featuring a sneak peek of the new season, Q&A, and more. One audience member selected will be drawn into an upcoming episode! Room 25Abc

10:15-11:15 Aloha,...

Friday's schedule has just gone up for the 2010 Comic-Con at San Diego. As was the case with yesterday's breakdown, I'm focusing on film/TV/DVD related events, screenings and panels.

Read about Thursday's line-up of events.

10:00-11:00 Comedy Central: Ugly Americans— David M. Stern (showrunner and executive producer), Dan Powell (executive producer), Jeff Poliquin (supervising producer), Devin Clark (producer and series creator), Aaron Augenblick (director of animation), Matt Oberg (voice of Mark Lilly), Kurt Metzger (voice of Randall Skeffington), and Randy Pearlstein (voice of Leonard) take you behind the scenes at this animated series sensation. Featuring a sneak peek of the new season, Q&A, and more. One audience member selected will be drawn into an upcoming episode! Room 25Abc

10:15-11:15 Aloha, Earth!— Lost castaway found! Battlestar Cylon becomes human! Star Trek writers return from space! A supernatural force has drawn some of sci-fi's giants...

Hey Gang! Comic-Con International has released the full schedule for Friday July 23rd and its another full day crazy awesomeness!

Friday is traditionally known as Star Wars day at the convention. This year feature 6 Special Programs featuring official news, announcements and more from the Star Wars universe. There is also the classic march of the Stormtroopers which is always cool.

I honestly don't know how were going to cover everything we want to, but we will find away! We did it last year! I've hilighted all of the events and panels that we are looking forward to seeing. So check out the full schedule below and start planning out your epic Friday at Comic-Con!

Friday, July 23

Last changed: Fri, Jul 9, 11:26am

10:00-11:00 DC Talent Search 2— DC's editorial art director Mark Chiarello presents an informative orientation session that will explain how DC's Talent Search works and discuss the different needs of DC Universe,...

Here are the movie and TV highlights

The San Diego Comic-Con has posted the schedule for Friday, July 23. You can view the full schedule here, but below are the movie and TV events that ComingSoon.net/SuperHeroHype/ShockTillYouDrop.com will be concentrating on.

Friday, July 23

10:00-11:00 Comedy Central: Ugly Americans— David M. Stern (showrunner and executive producer), Dan Powell (executive producer), Jeff Poliquin (supervising producer), Devin Clark (producer and series creator), Aaron Augenblick (director of animation), Matt Oberg (voice of Mark Lilly), Kurt Metzger (voice of Randall Skeffington), and Randy Pearlstein (voice of Leonard) take you behind the scenes at this animated series sensation. Featuring a sneak peek of the new season, Q&A, and more. One audience member selected will be drawn into an upcoming episode! Room 25Abc

10:15-11:15 Aloha, Earth!— Lost castaway found! Battlestar Cylon becomes human! Star Trek writers return from space!

Fox brings 11 series to Comic-Con 2010 Twentieth Century Fox Television will once again dominate the San Diego Comic-Con convention, with stars and creators of eleven of its signature shows heading down to the world famous fan gathering next month. In addition to exclusive sneak peeks of its programs and panel discussions with the stars and creators of its shows, the studio will unveil its brand new larger and more central booth on the convention floor. The sleek new design includes a 25-foot multi-media cyclone tower stretching high into the rafters allowing the booth to instantly transform between various properties, and provides generous space for autograph signings, premium giveaways and merchandise sales.

Descriptions, times and locations of the Fox panels follow:

Friday July 23:

11:00-12:00 Bob's Burgers: Creator/Executive Producer Loren Bouchard (Home Movies) and Jim Dauterive (King of the Hill) will be on hand to introduce animation fans...

As if it weren’t already hot enough outside, you television is about to become host to TBS’s “Neighbors from Hell” that premieres tonight. This animated series is follows the Hellman family as they are sent to earth to save Hell from human beings. Comedy ensues as they learn how to live amongst humans. This animated series stars the voices of Molly Shannon, Patton Oswalt, Will Sasso, Tracey Fairaway, David Soren, and Kyle McCulloch. Check out the synopsis, trailer, and behind-the-scenes look below:

Synopsis for “Neighbors from Hell”

When Satan learns that Petromundo, a huge global conglomerate, has created a super-drill that could potentially burrow to the center of the earth and expose Hell, he sends one of his demons to eliminate the problem. The demon is Balthazor, a good-natured, low-level torturer who has amassed an encyclopedic knowledge of the human condition thanks to his love of classic TV sitcoms.

Chicago – Coming from the punishing fires has never been wackier in the new animated TV series from TBS, “Neighbors From Hell.” Featuring the voice talent of Patton Oswalt, Molly Shannon and Kurtwood Smith, Neighbors reminds us that our current paradise is closer to actual hell than ever before.

Television Rating: 4.5/5.0

Belthazor Hellman (voice of Will Sasso) is a low level torturer in hell, obsessed with family sitcoms from earth (”that kid is not so much of a ‘Half’ anymore”). On reassignment from Satan, Belthazor is charged with taking his family onto the earth’s surface to prevent a giant drill, created by Petromundo Co., from infiltrating the homeland fires at the planet’s core.

Belthazor’s wife Tina (Molly Shannon), daughter Mandy (Tracey Fairaway), son Josh (David Soren), Uncle Vlaartark (Kyle McCulloch) and the goblin Pazuzu (Patton Oswalt) – posing as the family dog – will meet the neighbors and try to...

This week, TBS rolls out two new family sitcoms that follow the same conceit of the only-slightly dysfunctional nuclear family that bends the norm while having to learn to work together as a family, etc etc. It’s a concept that shouldn’t be unfamiliar to anybody who has ever owned a television set.

Neither are particularly original, but attempt two different approaches with varying degrees of success. Are We There Yet? Is a traditional three-camera sitcom with a middle-class clueless dad, a pretty face for a mom, and two bratty kids. Neighbors from Hell is animated, but has the same set-up. Well, except that the family members are all demons from hell.

As anyone with a memory for utterly forgettable movies should remember, Are We There Yet? is based on the 2005 Ice Cube road trip movie about a sports store owner guy taking his would-be girlfriend's kids to Canada.

Matt Stone and Trey Parker have joined up with the team behind Canadian series Kenny vs. Spenny to produce new episodes of the comedy-reality series for Comedy Central.

The network has licensed 10 new episodes of the show, in which childhood friends and series co-creators Kenny Hotz and <N Spencer Rice battle each other in outrageous competitions, and also has acquired 10 episodes from the show's library. The series is set to premiere Nov. 14.

Stone told The Hollywood Reporter that he and Parker became fans of the series after Kyle McCulloch, a producer on their Comedy Central show South Park, introduced them to an episode in which the duo competed to see who could stay up the longest without sleep. Stone said the episode really hit home.

"It was right after we finished 'Team America' in a six-day marathon," he said. "It was the worst time of my whole life. The physical torment that they put their bodies through touched us. It was just so funny but also realistic and raw."

After randomly running into Rice at LAX and introducing themselves -- "He was freaked out because he thought nobody would recognize him in America," Stone said -- Stone and Parker developed a friendship with Hotz and Rice and offered to help them get the show on the air in the U.S.